


If We Hum Our Song Together, It Makes Things Easier

by firequakes



Category: IU (Musician), T-Ara, f(x)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Traveling Pants!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-06 09:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15882948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firequakes/pseuds/firequakes
Summary: Jiyeon is convinced that the pants are most definitely magic. (93 Line, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants AU)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \- heavily based on ann brashares' sisterhood of the traveling pants. also, when i checked, apparently south korean schools take a summer break between mid-july to late august, which is roughly 5 or so weeks? so, uh. yeah.
> 
> \- all the thanks in the world to: compatable & dream_of_orange @lj, who convinced me to sign up for fbb; and augmenti & punkgesture @lj, who bounced ideas off with me, read through drafts, and held my hands throughout the entire painful process of writing this. ♥
> 
> \- written originally for femmebigbang 2011; this is the first time i have ever written anything that exceeded 5k, and it somehow became a monster. originally posted [here](http://femmebigbang.livejournal.com/5698.html).

 

 

_**Rule #2**  You must always (try to) have an adventure when wearing The Pants._

  
Rule number two had been Sunyoung's bold and eager suggestion.  
  
"Adventures are fun," she had said, the huge smile on her face eager and enthusiastic. "Besides, any excuse for an adventure is good. Don't you guys think so too?"  
  
Jiyeon had taken a moment to think about it, but had easily agreed to let it be penned down. Jieun, on the other hand, had been more skeptical, at least until Sunyoung had explained, "The word adventure has a broad meaning, Jieunnie, you can define it however you want!"  
  
There are ten rules all in all regarding The Pants, but to explain the rules at this point would mean jumping right into the middle of the story— or alright, maybe not the  _middle_  of the story exactly, but it's at least like entering a movie theater ten to fifteen minutes after the feature film has already started.   
  
The thing is, most stories are better off told from the beginning.  
  
  
-  
  
  
It's Jieun who brings the pants into their lives. And Jiyeon, sort of. Although in a way Sunyoung had been a part of it too, if you take the entire story into consideration, so maybe The Pants really  _are_  special, and it was 'destiny' that brought it to them.  
  
Jieun had been shopping at an outdoor bazaar with Jiyeon, but the latter had been distracted by a stall selling cute but useless tiny trinkets, so Jieun just wanders off on her own, looking for new (and relatively cheap) summer clothes she can take with her when she visits and stays with her grandparents.  
  
"That dress is buy one, take one," the kind lady informs Jieun as she tries to pay for a cute yellow summer dress she had chosen.  
  
"Oh! Um," Jieun says, looking around the stall. She hadn't exactly found anything else she wanted from this store, and she had pretty much already gone through most of their merchandise.  
  
"Jieunnie?" Of course Jiyeon chooses that exact moment to enter the stall looking for her.  
  
"I'm here at the counter," Jieun calls out softly. The lady at the cashier is still smiling at her, still waiting for her "plus one" item.  
  
"We have to go," Jiyeon says, linking arms with Jieun. "Sunyoung called, she's been at the cafe waiting for us for about thirty minutes already. Can't keep her waiting. Are you done?"  
  
"Well, I just have to find one more thing to go with this dress," Jieun explains. "The lady says it's for free." She smiles at the woman as she speaks.  
  
"Oh. Do you know what you want?" Jiyeon asks, her tone already slightly impatient, her eyes roaming around the store, trying to help pick out something.  
  
"Not really," Jieun admits. "Maybe I should just waive the plus one promo?"  
  
"Nonsense," Jiyeon says, taking a look around. She goes through a bin filled with jeans and takes one out, checking the tag for size. "This looks decent," she declares. "It's medium. You're medium right? For pants?"  
  
Jieun nods. "I think so."  
  
"Okay, get this then," Jiyeon says, grinning and putting the item of clothing on the counter. "Free anyway, right?"  
  
Jieun just shrugs, and takes out some cash from her wallet. "Here you go," she tells the lady, handing it to her with a smile. The woman smiles back at her, and it's a smile that Jieun briefly thinks might have a hidden meaning behind it.  
  
She stops thinking about it too much though, when Jiyeon picks up some of her shopping bags and starts hurriedly tugging at her hand.  
  
"Thank you," she says to the cashier when she's handed her purchase and her change.  
  
"Thank  _you_ ," the woman says, and there's that smile again. "Come again!"  
  
"Come on come on," Jiyeon says to her left, still holding her hand. "My phone is ringing again. A thousand won says that it's Sunyoung again. She's going to tear our heads off."  
  
  
(When they  _do_  finally meet up with Sunyoung, she looks a little annoyed and crabby, her arms folded, and her forehead creased. But then Jiyeon runs up to her, going "Sunyoungiiiiiiiiiiie~," glomping her as soon as Jiyeon reaches her, and Sunyoung's face softens immediately.  
  
"Sorry we ran late," Jieun says with an apologetic smile.  
  
Sunyoung just shrugs, and smiles, and pinches Jiyeon's cheeks. "It's okay. Let's eat, I'm hungry," she says.  
  
And all is well again, because that's just the kind of friends they are.)  
  
  
  
They rediscover The Pants together when Jieun is packing for her trip to her grandparents'.  
  
Both Jiyeon and Sunyoung are over, supposedly so they can help her out, but Jiyeon is just sprawled on Jieun's bed, counting out loud the cracks on Jieun's bedroom ceiling, while Sunyoung is spinning round and round on Jieun's swivel chair.  
  
Jieun doesn't really mind though, because apart from the fact that Jiyeon will probably just stuff all her clothes into her suitcase without even properly folding them, she likes the idea of spending as much time as possible with her best friends. It's the first time they were going to be away from each other for four weeks, after all, and they were especially used to spending practically every waking hour of summer breaks together.  
  
"Eleven, twelve, fourteen, sixteen," Jiyeon mumbles, pointing her finger upwards.  
  
"You missed fifteen," Sunyoung tells her.  
  
"I counted it in my head, okay," Jiyeon says. And then she lets her arm, the one with the hand aiming towards the ceiling, fall down to her side, and she sighs heavily.  
  
Sunyoung stops mid-swivel and stares at her. "Did the earth fall on you or something?" she teases.  
  
"It's just that I'm really, really,  _really_  going to miss the two of you," Jiyeon says, pulling herself up into a sitting position, her mouth curved into a pout. " _Really_  going to miss you," she repeats. "Can't one of you hide me in your luggage and bring me along?"  
  
"You're not going to fit, Jiyeon," Jieun says, giggling as she places carefully folded underwear into her suitcase.  
  
"Sure I can," Jiyeon says, tucking her legs under her, and curling her body into the smallest ball she can. "As long as I do this, see?"  
  
Sunyoung cracks up, looking at her. "Nope," she says, grinning. "Still don't think you can fit."  
  
"Ugh," Jiyeon groans, letting loose again and flopping back down on the bed. "It's just not fair, you're both getting out of the city, and I'll be left all alone here!"  
  
"It's not like we won't write," Jieun points out, going through her closet, still picking out clothes to bring.  
  
Sunyoung rolls her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen," she tells Jiyeon. "It's the 21st century. We'll text, and e-mail."  
  
"And Skype," Jiyeon adds with pouty determination. "Don't forget that."  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "Fine, fine, fine," she says, just to appease Jiyeon, who opens her mouth as if to say something more, except Jieun beats her to it with a loud, resounding, "Oh!"  
  
The other two girls both turn to look at Jieun. "What's wrong?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"No, nothing," Jieun says. "It's just I almost forgot all about these jeans." And then she holds up the pair she got for free, to go along with the yellow dress she thinks could become a new favorite.  
  
"They look nice," Sunyoung comments. "How much did you get them for?"  
  
"For nothing," Jiyeon answers for Jieun. "I remember those. Try them on!"  
  
"Nothing?" Sunyoung asks, still unfamiliar with the story.  
  
"The stall at the bazaar had some buy one, take one promo with their clothes," Jieun explains. "Jiyeon chose this in a hurry because we were already late in meeting you, so I didn't even get to try it on I don't think it will fit, actually," she says, holding the pants against her legs.  
  
"Tsch," Jiyeon dismisses, standing up. "Try them on, I bet they'll look great."  
  
"But they look more like your size," Jieun says, holding out the pair towards Jiyeon.  
  
"Won't hurt you to see if they fit," Sunyoung points out.  
  
"See, Sunyoungie agrees with me," Jiyeon says, grinning. "A little fashion show should make the afternoon more enjoyable, and a bit less dull."  
  
Jiyeon starts giggling, already pulling at the shorts that Jieun was wearing, because that's just how Jiyeon is, overly touchy and extremely comfortable around her friends. She's the kind who will carelessly strip down and change her clothes in front of them if the occasion or situation calls for it, and she won't really think twice about it. She expects her friends to be the same around her, but the truth is, Jieun is the exact opposite, and her cheeks are quickly going from pale pink to a deep red as she tries to wave away Jiyeon's hands that were quick to unbutton her shorts.  
  
"Oh those are cute," Jiyeon comments, nodding towards Jieun's duck-print panties.  
  
It hadn't seemed possible considering Jieun's face was already crimson colored, but her cheeks get even more flushed than they were. "Fine, I'll wear these, I'll try the pants on," she says, clutching at the said garment, and finally succeeding in swatting Jiyeon's hands away.  
  
Sunyoung is just watching them, laughing, already used to this kind of display from her friends. She knows that Jiyeon has it in her head that Jieun is a little insecure about her body ("Because why else would she be so  _shy_  around us, when we've been together since we were kids, and she's seen more or less all of us?" Jiyeon had even pointed out to Sunyoung once), so she's always trying to get Jieun to "open up." Sunyoung simply tries to keep out of it as much as possible.  
  
Jieun turns away from them as she puts on the pants, quickly tugging at it up her legs. She's still a little flushed and flustered when she faces her friends again, that she doesn't even notice the way both of them are staring at her, almost as if in awe.  
  
"W-wow," Jiyeon says, her eyes big, her mouth curved into a proud smile.  
  
"You look great!" Sunyoung exclaims, clapping her hands together in excitement.   
  
"Yeah, see?" Jiyeon grins. "Those pants look great on you. I have genius eyes when it comes to clothes, clearly."  
  
"Do they really?" Jieun asks in a tiny voice, looking down at herself. She approaches the full-length mirror she has on the other side of the room and looks at herself.  
  
The pants are a bit loose on her, but they're hanging somewhat snugly on her hips, falling down nicely to her ankles. Jieun cocks her head to the side, still staring at her reflection.  
  
"I guess they don't look bad," she says, smiling.  
  
"Are you kidding me—" Jiyeon starts.  
  
"—you look gorgeous!" Sunyoung finishes for her.  
  
"It was a great bargain," Jiyeon declares, playing with one if Jieun's pillows.  
  
Jieun goes to a corner of her room and quickly starts pulling off the pants, and putting on the denim shorts she had on before. And then she throws the pants to Jiyeon.  
  
"You try them on too," she says. "You picked them, and I bet they look better on you anyway."  
  
Jiyeon shakes her head. "You paid for them! And you look great in them!"  
  
"They were  _free_ ," Jieun clarifies. "And like you said, a fashion show will help us pass time."  
  
"You  _did_  say that," Sunyoung adds. "Come on, I also want to see how they look on you."  
  
Jiyeon sighs, and stares at the pants. "Oh alright," she says finally, standing up.  
  
Jieun immediately looks away, still a little red in the face, as Jiyeon easily takes off the military cut-offs she was wearing.  
  
"Okay, done," Jiyeon announces as she buttons up the fly.  
  
She gets the same reaction she and Sunyoung had given Jieun just a few minutes ago. Sunyoung is grinning at her, and Jieun is even a little slack-jawed, staring in mild awe.  
  
"Well?" Jiyeon asks, eyebrows quirking.  
  
"You look even better in it," Jieun says.  
  
"Nah," Sunyoung says. "You look great in it, but not necessarily better. Or worse. You just— you simply look fabulous."  
  
"Yeah?" Jiyeon turns and looks at her reflection in the mirror. The pants hugged her curves firmly, especially around the hips, and they somehow made her legs seem even longer. "Not bad," she says, grinning. "Plus they look good with my shoes."  
  
"Okay," Jiyeon says, unbuttoning, and taking off the pants. "Your turn, Sunyoung."  
  
"Me?" Sunyoung asks. And then she laughs. "No way will those pants fit me. They'll be too long for me, not to mention they'll probably be too tight around the thighs."  
  
"But they're  _magic_  pants," Jiyeon declares, making showy hand gestures. "Come on, try them on!"  
  
"Yes yes yes," Jieun agrees. "Fashion show for everyone!"  
  
Sunyoung snorts, rolls her eyes, and laughs. " _Alright_ ," she finally agrees. "Hand them to me."  
  
Jiyeon smiles widely and hands Sunyoung the garment in question.  
  
Jieun looks away because she's  _Jieun_ , but Jiyeon is staring intently as Sunyoung starts to put on the pants. The thing is, the only way the pants should be able to fit all of them properly is if they really  _were_  magic. Or at least something that's just as unexplainable.  
  
Jiyeon is the tallest, with the longest legs, and a body that has obviously already undergone puberty, with all the right curves in all the right places. Jieun, on the other hand, is skinny, with the body of a young girl— lanky arms, and lanky legs, and barely with any curves  _anywhere_. Sunyoung is a little taller than Jieun at least, but she has a stocky build, and honestly pants that would fit Jieun perfectly should not be able to fit her comfortably, especially around her thighs, or her calves, both of which are two of Sunyoung's biggest physical insecurities.  
  
Except apparently, it is totally possible, and Jieun's jaw slowly drops, while Jiyeon's eyes totally light up with excitement as Sunyoung easily pulls the jeans right past her thighs, and zips and buttons it up without any difficulty.  
  
"Okay!" Jiyeon exclaims. "It's settled then. Those pants are magic.  _Magic_! Definitely, magic!"  
  
Sunyoung is laughing, and so is Jieun, who is also shaking her head at their friend's absurdity.  
  
"Whatever," Jiyeon says, bending down to reach and pull at the lower hem of the pants. "This isn't even stretch fabric! It's a hundred percent denim!"  
  
"A hundred percent?  _Really_ , now?" Sunyoung asks, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "Whatever," she says. "It's definitely not stretch. Magic is the only explanation as to why it fits all three of us!"  
  
"Actually," Jieun interjects. "It doesn't even just  _fit_  all of us. You both look really  _really_  good in them."  
  
"Well, so did you Jieunnie," Jiyeon says, locking arms with Jieun.  
  
Sunyoung takes a look at herself in the mirror. "Okay, so my thighs look kind of... slimmer in these," she admits.  
  
"Right?!" Jiyeon grins. "And my butt looked like they weren't the size of an atlas when I had them on!"  
  
They both turn to look at Jieun, who blinks at them, and then giggles a little. "Okay, I  _did_  seem to look a little taller in them," she admits.  
  
"See see see  _seeeeeee_ ," Jiyeon insists, unable to sit still, practically bouncing on Jieun's bed.  
  
Jieun and Sunyoung exchange a look, laughing. Sunyoung looks down at herself again.  
  
"Actually, you know," Sunyoung says, facing the mirror again. "I might be starting to believe it  _is_  magic. It's insane how good and comfortable these pants fit!"  
  
"It's magic magic  _magic_ ," Jiyeon chants in a sing-song manner. "Magic  _magic_."  
  
Jieun nods. "There  _are_  probably things that really can't be explained by reason and logic."  
  
"We have to celebrate!" Jiyeon declares.  
  
Sunyoung snorts. "What do we celebrate?"  
  
"The pants, of course," Jiyeon says. "I think it definitely means something that those pants entered our lives right in time for our first summer apart!"  
  
Sunyoung and Jieun both turn to stare at her. Jiyeon shrugs.   
  
"Well, the first summer since we were eight anyway," she clarifies. "That's more than half of our lives!"  
  
  
  
The three of them actually have very different interests, and so at school, they move in very different circles. Jieun's only extra-curricular activity is glee club, which she attends after school three times a week. Jiyeon, on the other hand, between the school's track & field team and taekwondo club, has her plate full every day after school. Sunyoung used to be in glee with Jieun, but she quit after their first year of high school. Sunyoung has been the class representative since they were in 4th grade though, and is almost always busy with things that are student council related.  
  
They're best friends during the present hugely because they've been friends for most of their lives, and not one of them can imagine a life where they aren't.  
  
Jiyeon and Jieun have been going to the same pre-school since they were 5, although they never really talked, played, or in general interacted a lot. Jieun has since confessed to Jiyeon that,  
  
"You were intimidating to me even as a little girl!"  
  
"I was  _not_ ," Jiyeon had argued. "I had lots of friends and you could have been one of them since Day 1!"  
  
"But that's just it," Jieun pointed out. "You already had too many friends!"  
  
"There's no such thing as too many friends," Sunyoung then interjected, smiling at her best friends.  
  
"And that's insane, Sunyoungie didn't have any problem making friends with me!" Jiyeon exclaimed.  
  
"I— Well, I know," Jieun admitted. "But you were in the popular crowd."  
  
Jiyeon had gaped at her, and Sunyoung had burst out laughing.  
  
"You're absurd," Jiyeon scolded her, and Jieun had smiled sheepishly.  
  
"It doesn't matter now," Sunyoung had said. "Because it all worked out properly for all of us right?"  
  
Sunyoung had moved into the neighborhood, two doors down Jieun's family's apartment, right before first grade had started, which is the grade when Sunyoung got assigned to share a desk with Jiyeon on the first day of school.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sunyoung," she had boldly introduced herself with a bright smile, because that was just how she was as a little girl— forward and friendly and confident and generally enthusiastic about everything. "I have a twin sister, but she's not in this class with me. We should be friends!"  
  
They did everything together from then on. Sometimes Jinyoung, Sunyoung's sister, will play with them, but she has her own set of friends, who she'd rather run around with in the playground, so more or less it was just the two of them. At least until Sunyoung pointed Jieun out to Jiyeon.  
  
"That girl from Class D," she told Jiyeon, "she lives in the same apartment building as me. Do you know her?"  
  
Jiyeon had shrugged, and answered, "Lee Jieun? I think? Only by face. Why?"  
  
"I told you, she lives in the same apartment building as me," Sunyoung explained again.   
  
The day after that, Jieun had found a short, but also very sweet and straightforward, note in her cubby.  


 

> _Hi!_
> 
> _Let's be friends! I'll approach you today after school! :)_
> 
> _Always smile,  
>  Park Sunyoung  
>  Class 1-A_

 

  
True to her word, right after last period, Sunyoung had marched to the door of Jieun's classroom, Jiyeon in tow, and waved Jieun over as soon as the latter came out.  
  
"Hello!" Sunyoung greeted, beaming. "Want to go home together?"  
  
"Huh?" Jieun had just stared at them, confused for a few seconds.  
  
But then, Jiyeon, with a huge, inviting smile, had echoed Sunyoung with, "Come on, let's go home together!" Jieun had to give in after that— what's a little girl to do after all?  
  
And from then on, all three of them had been inseparable.  
  
  
  
"So. If we've decided that they are really magic, then I think we should do something special with them," Jiyeon announces to her friends over a three-way phone call the day before Jieun is set to leave.  
  
"Like what?" Jieun asks.  
  
"You're taking the whole 'magic' thing too seriously," Sunyoung tells her with a chuckle.  
  
"Magic things lose magic if we stop believing," Jiyeon firmly declares.  
  
Even when they were younger, Jiyeon and Jieun, to a certain extent, have always been the ones more susceptible to fantasy. Sunyoung, while she liked fun, liked sunshine, and all other bright, shiny, happy things, has always been a firm believer in organization and sensibility.  
  
Jiyeon liked the idea of unexplainable things, and furthermore she liked trying out these things. When they were twelve, at Jiyeon's suggestion, the three of them had pooled in their allowances to go see a (so-called) fortune teller.  
  
They had been told the usual, basic things— they will be friends forever, but beware of this and that. They will be happy, but only if so and so. The psychic even said that if "the stars align right" then Sunyoung will marry first, but that Jiyeon will be the first one to get her first kiss. And then she resorted to a whole bunch of parlor tricks that has only really impressed Jiyeon.  
  
"She told me I could be psychic too," Jiyeon had gushed when they walked out of the building. "She says everyone has extra-sensory powers, we just need to properly channel them."  
  
Jieun and Sunyoung had laughed at her, but Jiyeon had kept insisting that  _yes, definitely_ , in a few days she would be able to read minds.   
  
"Not the future, not just yet, but according to the Madam, I'd be able to read minds within a week if I meditate at least an hour a day!" Jiyeon had said then, so surely.  
  
"Okay, show us in a week then," Jieun told Jiyeon then, in a tone that was supportive, and not mocking.  
  
Jieun has always been the one to ride along Jiyeon's crazy ideas, because to her, the idea of something better than reality is always appealing. Sunyoung, while always amused, and always trying to humor her friend as much as she can, have always been the one to take her friend down a peg or two every time she gets just a little bit too ridiculous.  
  
It didn't look like Jiyeon was going to budge on this one though, and Sunyoung is just laughing over the phone as she recalls these old memories. "Like the time you believed you can have  _magical_  telepathic powers?" she teases Jiyeon.  
  
"I totally did for at least a week," Jiyeon argues. "I could tell what number everyone was thinking for about a week! And then I just wasn't able to properly meditate afterward, so I lost touch with my abilities,  _okay_."  
  
Sunyoung snorts, but then she grins widely as she finally gives in. "Alright," she says. "Do you have anything in mind?"  
  
"I'll think of something," Jiyeon says. "Just. Hm. Jieunnie, just bring the pants over to my house tonight for the sleepover, okay?"  
  
"Oh, that reminds me," Sunyoung interjects. "Are you sure it's alright with your parents if we sleep over at your place tonight?"  
  
Jiyeon coughs, and then she answers, "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"   
  
There's a brief silence over the line..  
  
"Oh come on!" Jiyeon exclaims. "They love you at home, you've been coming over since we were  _babies_!"  
  
Sunyoung shrugs. "Well."  
  
"Okay," Jieun finally agrees. "We'll be there before 6."  
  
  
  
  
That night, in her room, Jiyeon makes them all sit in a tiny circle on her twin-sized bed.  
  
"Where are the pants?" she asks, looking at Jieun.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Wait," Jieun answers, scrambling to get on her feet so she could go and reach for her overnight bag that was sitting on the floor, a few feet away from the bed. "Here," she says, taking it out and handing it to Jiyeon.  
  
Jieun takes her place on the bed again, as Jiyeon places the neatly folded jeans at the center of their so-called circle.  
  
"Okay, now we hold hands," Jiyeon says, grabbing her friends' hands from each side of her. She motions for them to do the same, and they do, even as they stare at her questioningly.  
  
Jiyeon squeezes their hands, and grins. "And now we meditate," she says, causing Jieun and Sunyoung to burst out into simultaneous giggles.  
  
"Come on, just do it with me," Jiyeon insists. "Ohmmmmmmmmmm," she starts humming, causing another round of collective giggles even as her two friends try to follow suit.  
  
In the end, Jiyeon herself starts laughing, and they spend a good few minutes in hysterics, and another minute or two trying to catch their breaths.  
  
"I think we should all equally share the pants," Jieun says when they've all calmed down.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"You paid for it," Jiyeon points out.  
  
Jieun laughs. "It feels like we've had this conversation before. Of course I'm sure. A magical pair of pants should be owned by all three of us equally!"  
  
Sunyoung smiles at her, and squeezes her hand as if for approval, while Jiyeon throws her hands up.   
  
"I think... I think we should pass along the pants to each other this summer," Jiyeon suggests.   
  
"What for?" Jieun asks.  
  
"So we all get equal time with it!" Jiyeon explains, and she is getting more and more excited with each word that's coming out of her mouth. "And so that we each experience a little bit of its magic!  _And_  since we all 'meditated' over it—," She's interrupted by another quick giggle fit from everyone in the room, but then she continues, "—since we all  _meditated_  over it, a little part of each of us should have been absorbed by the pants! Which means we're always going to be together this summer,  _no matter what_."  
  
Jiyeon smiles at her friends, and Jieun and Sunyoung smile right back, touched at the idea despite themselves, and despite the fact that it sounded absolutely ridiculous.  
  
"So how do we pass it around, then?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"I think we should have rules," Jieun says. "Or something like guidelines."  
  
"Like things we're allowed to do, and not allowed to do while wearing the pants?" Jiyeon asks.  
  
"Well, more like an order of who gets the pants when," Jieun says with a laugh. "But that works too."  
  
"Okay then, Rule Number One," Jiyeon states. "We are never washing the pants."  
  
Jieun gives her a look. "That's... gross."  
  
"It's not!" Jiyeon argues. "They're jeans! We just have to be extra careful not to get anything on them."  
  
"But what's the point?" Jieun asks.  
  
Jiyeon grins. "Well, it just means we will never have to wash away our essence that the pants have absorbed. So, you know, with the pants, we will  _always_  be—"  
  
"Together," Sunyoung finishes for her. "Fine. But Rule Number Two has to be that no matter what, we are going to try and have an adventure when wearing the pants."  
  
"But adventures would mean being careless," Jieun says, frowning. "I thought we had to be careful because of Jiyeon's no washing rule?"  
  
"But adventures are fun," Sunyoung says.  
  
"And it just means we have adventures with  _style_ ," Jiyeon says, grinning.  
  
"Exactly!" Sunyoung agrees.  
  
"But I'm not exactly action woman," Jieun says, still looking very apprehensive.  
  
"Don't be a spoil sport Jieunnie," Jiyeon pouts.  
  
"Besides, the word adventure has a broad meaning, you can define it however you want!" Sunyoung explains. "It can be something as simple as trying a new flavor of ice cream!"  
  
Jiyeon pokes at her side. "Or you know," she says, grinning mischievously, "it could mean shop lifting pencils at the book store."  
  
Sunyoung laughs, and Jieun gapes at her.   
  
"Right, because you're  _such_  a delinquent," Sunyoung says, rolling her eyes.  
  
Jiyeon giggles. "I was just joking! And, well, making an example. It's not like Jieun has to follow!"  
  
"Which I'm not," Jieun says firmly. "I mean shoplifting. But alright, I'll agree to rule number two."  
  
"Yay," Jiyeon says, clapping her hands. "But someone should really be noting all of these down."  
  
"Hand me that," Sunyoung tells Jiyeon, nodding towards a notepad that was sitting on top of Jiyeon's bedside table. "I'll do it."  
  
As Sunyoung starts jotting down what they have so far, Jiyeon turns to Jieun and tells her, "Your turn."  
  
"My turn?" Jieun asks.  
  
"I thought up one rule, Sunyoung did too," Jiyeon explains. "Now you."  
  
"Oh! Hmm," Jieun muses. "Okay. I got it. We're only to use these pants during summer break."  
  
"What?  _Why?_ " Jiyeon questions.  
  
"Well, if we use it throughout the year without washing, and always going off having so-called adventures in them, then they wouldn't even last six months!"  
  
"Well, that makes sense," Sunyoung nods. "Okay, I approve it."  
  
"Well, if you guys put it that way," Jiyeon shrugs, and Sunyoung writes it down.  
  
"I think..." Jiyeon pauses. "I think we should always refer to the pants in a capitalised way. Like. The Pants."  
  
"Like  _what_?" Sunyoung snorts.  
  
"You know,  _capitalised_ ," Jiyeon insists. "Like big and bold, except Capitalised. For emphasis that they're special."  
  
"The Pants," Sunyoung repeats, writing something down. "Like this?" she asks, showing Jiyeon and Jieun what's written on the pad.  
  
"The Pants," Jieun reads with a giggle.  
  
"Perfect," Jiyeon says.  


 

 

 

**The Rules of The Super-Special, Magical (Traveling) Pants**  
(equally shared by Lee Jieun, Park Jiyeon and Park Sunyoung)

  * 1\. The  ~~pants~~  Pants are NEVER to be washed.
  * 2\. You must always (try to) have an adventure when wearing  ~~the pants~~  The Pants.
  * 3\. They are only for use during summer. (Unless there is an absolute emergency, but all three owners must agree unanimously that it is an emergency).
  * 4\. You must always refer to them as The Pants.
  * 5\. No one keeps The Pants for more than a week. (At most ten days, but only if ABSOLUTELY necessary.)



  
  
Five is Sunyoung's suggestion.   
  
"It's not like our summer break is long," she points out. "And we'd have to send it around at that, so it'll spend some time in the post. Everyone should get equal time with The Pants."  
  
Jiyeon nods. "That makes sense. But who gets them first? And who gets to judge when it is 'necessary?'"  
  
They look around at each other.  
  
"Jieun should have them first," Jiyeon says. "She's leaving first, anyway."  
  
Sunyoung nods. "I agree, Jieun should have them first."  
  
"But can I have them next?" Jiyeon asks with a laugh. "I'm the one who's going to be left behind here."  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "Okay, you can have them next. Then me. And then we send it back the other way around?"  
  
"Agreed," Jiyeon says.  
  
"Agreed," Jieun echoes.  
  
"Also," Sunyoung asks. "I think we'll just  _know_  when we need to keep it and when to send it on, you know?"  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "Of course. They're magic!"  


 

 

  * 6\. No eating pizza when wearing The Pants.
  * 7\. You cannot eat vanilla flavored ice cream when wearing The Pants— must have adventurous flavors!



  
  
Jieun chooses the sixth rule, and Jiyeon initially complains about it.  
  
"That's not fair!" Jiyeon whines. "I like pizza!"  
  
"You like everything," Sunyoung teases.  
  
"And we  _all_  like pizza," Jieun says. "But it'll be a huge problem if we spill sauce on The Pants."  
  
"Alright," Jiyeon grumbles. "Might as well ban spaghetti too. Even ddukkbokki."  
  
"Do you want us to?" Jieun teases. "Okay then, no eating—"  
  
"No! Don't!" Jiyeon screeches. "Fine, no pizza."  
  
Jieun laughs, and Sunyoung giggles as she writes it down.  
  
"I already wrote the next rule too," Sunyoung says, showing her friends the notepad. "No eating vanilla ice cream."  
  
"Ha!" Jiyeon scoffs.  
  
"But that's  _my_  favorite!" Jieun exclaims.  
  
"Exactly," Sunyoung grins. "Your taste buds should be more daring sometimes."  


 

 

  * 8\. No wearing orange socks.
  * 9\. No wearing thongs!



  
  
Eight is Jiyeon, "I don't like the color orange" and nine is Sunyoung, "I wanted my own silly rule!"  
  
"But none of us own thongs anyway," Jieun points out.  
  
Sunyoung shrugs. "The summer is long. Who knows what underwear any of us might acquire during that time."  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "But isn't wearing thongs an adventure in itself?" she asks, her tone teasing.  
  
"It is," Sunyoung nods. "Just one we're not allowed to have in The Pants."  


 

 

  * 10\. You must never be afraid to be yourself in The Pants, because remember that no matter what, the other two will be with you.



  
  
The last rule is from Jieun.   
  
"That's so cheesy!" Jiyeon comments. "Jieunnie, you can be such a softie."  
  
Jieun shrugs. "Yes, but—"  
  
And then Jiyeon smiles at them, and so does Sunyoung, and then no one else says anything more about it. It's a rule they all want to follow religiously.  
  
"I really am going to miss the two of you," Jiyeon says, her mouth turned down, and her eyes looking like they will be shedding tears any moment now.  
  
"Don't cry!" Sunyoung tells her, swatting her arm.  
  
"I don't want to!" Jiyeon exclaims.  
  
"If you start, Jieun will too," Sunyoung laughs.  
  
"And then so will Sunyoung," Jieun points out.  
  
"And then it will be waterworks all over," Sunyoung says.  
  
"I can't help it," Jiyeon says, pulling her two friends towards her. "Just. Group hug!"  
  
"You guys are squishy," Jieun giggles, pressing as close as she can to her two best friends.  
  
  
  
  
"So, do you have any concrete plans for the summer yet?" Sunyoung asks Jiyeon over milkshakes.  
  
They've both ordered chocolate, and the two of them were already missing Jieun, who had already left earlier that morning, and her preference for strawberry.  
  
Jiyeon sighs. "I'm going to hole up in my room for the entire break until you and Jieun finally come back and rescue me from my depression."  
  
"Don't be melodramatic!" Sunyoung scolds her, a little laugh escaping her throat. "Seriously, don't you have any plans?"  
  
"Hm." Jiyeon shrugs. " Well, I  _am_  lucky enough to not be doing summer class this year, but the track team has weekly Monday practice, so there's at least that," she says. "Oh, and I have taekwondo on Tuesday afternoons."  
  
Sunyoung smiles. "At least you already have two days of the week covered!"  
  
"Yeah," Jiyeon nods. "I'm just going to sleep through all of Tuesday mornings to early afternoon. Maybe I'll sleep away the rest of the week as well."  
  
"You're being hyperbolic again."  
  
"And you're using those big words on me again," Jiyeon says, shaking a finger at Sunyoung, who laughs.  
  
"Stop exaggerating," Sunyoung says.  
  
"I just still can't believe that I won't have you guys with me this summer," Jiyeon whines. "It's not like we had the most exciting summers, but at least we had each other to alleviate the boredom."  
  
"As you've pointed out the last hundred times you we've broached this subject," Sunyoung says.   
  
"I know I know," Jiyeon frowns. "I'll get over it when you leave too. Probably."  
  
"There, there," Sunyoung says, patting Jiyeon's head.  
  
"Now you're just mocking me," Jiyeon says with a pout.  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "Maybe. But you'll be alright, yeah? Without us."  
  
Jiyeon stares at her. " _Of course_ , why wouldn't I be? I mean. I will probably get sick with depression but..."  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "And again, with the melodramatic overtures." She eyes Jiyeon uneasily, "You know what I mean though. At home?"  
  
"Of course. Anyway, I wonder how Jieun is doing," Jiyeon says, slightly shifting the focus of the conversation. She uses her straw to stir the clumps if milkshake that had formed in her glass. "I wonder if it's boring too where she is."  
  
"Don't wish that on her," Sunyoung says, shaking her head.  
  
"Yeah, okay, I bet she's totally partying out there," Jiyeon says, causing the two of them to crack up when the image of Lee Jieun, Party Girl entered their heads.  
  
"Although, actually," Jiyeon says, going back on topic, "maybe the Moons will need a baby-sitter every now and then. That would also mean making a quick buck."  
  
Sunyoung nods. "That's a start."  
  
"And then when school starts, I'll be able to afford all sorts of cool things you guys can't," Jiyeon declares.  
  
"You're such a great friend," Sunyoung mocks.  
  
"Hey, I'll share!" Jiyeon points out.  
  
"Like I said," Sunyoung says, grinning. " _Great friend_."  
  
"Well, duh," Jiyeon says. And then she sighs. "I still can't believe your parents are making you go to this suspicious youth camp."  
  
Sunyoung plasters a big smile on her face, trying not to let the anxiety she is suddenly feeling show.  
  
The truth is, it was Sunyoung's idea to be sent off to camp. She had found the information on the right place on the internet herself, and she had presented the idea to her parents all on her own.  
  
"You send Jinyoung off to a private music school every summer," Sunyoung had pointed out to her parents. "I'm asking just this once for this."  
  
The one she had found was nowhere near as prestigious, exclusive or as expensive as the one her sister goes to, but it was something and  _somewhere_. She had hated playing the guilt card, especially since she knew it wasn't her sister's fault that she gets to go to the special music school— it's not like Jinyoung had insisted on it. But that was just it, she didn't  _have_  to.  
  
Sunyoung loves her sister, she really does. Jinyoung, on most days, feels like her other half— or at least she used to feel like that.  
  
Outside their home, the two of them always did run in different circles, but they were twins, and they've been together since  _before_ birth. When they were little, sometimes they'd cuddle in bed together, just because it felt familiar ("Maybe this is how it was when we were in Mother's tummy," Jinyoung had once said, inducing a fit of giggles from both of them), and sometimes the dark gets just a little bit too intimidating for children below seven years of age. Even when Jiyeon and Jieun entered Sunyoung's life, Jinyoung would still play with them sometimes, at least until they finished sixth grade, and Jinyoung got into an exclusive all-girls junior high school.  
  
Between her sister, her mother who used to be a rising star in the local opera scene, but somehow still managed to become super mom, who was always on top of all the PTA phone trees, and her father, who not only still actively directs local musicals, but also runs a small, but highly successful, family business on the side (and Sunyoung doesn't even really want to delve into her grandparents' accomplishments), Sunyoung thinks being a plain achiever in a family of over-achievers. She brings home good grade, and she's pretty well-rounded in athletics, and her arts and music instructors only ever have good things to say about her, but it never stops Sunyoung from  _knowing_  that she's not the one who inherited the family's prodigious genes.  
  
Sunyoung can't even really resent her sister, or her parents, because they have, for all intents and purposes, been very caring and loving. They have never pressured Sunyoung to be anything more than she is, but maybe that's just the problem. Sunyoung is stuck having all these feelings,  _she's_  the one who can't help but feel like she should be doing better— and she always tries, but it never seems enough.  
  
"You're judging yourself too hard," she knows Jieun would say to her.  
  
"You're already good at everything," Jiyeon would follow up.  
  
Except she can't even articulate her feelings properly to her  _best friends_ , and if she can't tell them, she doesn't know what else she can do about it.  
  
At school, Jieun tends to be quiet, and oftentimes she'd just sit in a corner, being a tad mousy, at least until Jiyeon and Sunyoung come for her. But Sunyoung knows that everybody, not just her and Jiyeon, genuinely adores Jieun. When Jieun sings in school programs, everybody always listens in awe, and she will never brag about it, but Sunyoung knows Jieun feels proud. Jiyeon, on the other hand, has always been the pretty one. Even before she grew boobs, and curvy hips, and shoot up to a good height, gaining nice legs in the process, Jiyeon was already turning boys' heads even though they knew that she can easily kick their asses if she wanted to. Sunyoung also knows that Jiyeon thrives on that.  
  
Sunyoung has no idea what she has to feel proud about, and she hates feeling like this. This is why she wants to go to some new place for the summer. Maybe she just needs a new place where she didn't feel overshadowed by the entire world, where she can finally prove to be something, where she can grow to be  _special_.  
  
"Sunyoung?" Jiyeon is calling for her, snapping fingers in front of her face. "Are you here with me?"  
  
"Sorry," Sunyoung answers. "Got lost in my thoughts for a while there."  
  
Jiyeon squints at her, and she laughs. She pulls at Jiyeon's hair, and then pats her friend's cheek. "I'll be gone for like a little over three weeks. Me and Jieun will be back before you know it."  
  
  
-  
  


 

_Jiyeon, Sunyoung,_

_I just arrived at my Grandma's town, and the first thing I did after getting off the bus was find a post office so I can send these identical letters to the two of you. I know we said we'll text, and e-mail, and even video conference, but hand-written letters are also very nice, so don't forget to write to me too! Besides, while I'm sure I can find a wi-fi hot spot in town, I really don't think Grandma has any at her place. Sorry I'm only saying this now! I know Jiyeon would have panicked, or something like it. I promise I'll check my e-mail as much as I can anyway, and I still have my hand phone, which still sends and receives text messages perfectly._

_I miss you two already!_

_♥ Lee Jieun_

_P.S. Dear Sunyoung, I hope this arrives before you have to leave! But if it doesn't I sent both the letters to Jiyeon so she can forward to you!_

  
  
Jieun loves letters, especially hand-written ones. The more personal, the better. She keeps every single letter she has ever been given, from her grandmother's monthly letters (that she's been getting ever since she was old enough to read), to that first note Sunyoung had left her in her cubby, starting their friendship.  
  
The truth is, she had written the letters to her friends as early as the afternoon of the day before she left— she had missed them as early as then (even despite the fact that she had just hung the phone up after talking to them, and she was on her way to Jiyeon's house in an hour or two), and she had felt like she would somehow feel closer to them out in the country if the first thing she did as soon as she got there was send the letters. It sounds foolish, but for some reason, it also worked. Jieun feels light, happy, and somehow closer to her friends.  
  
Jieun's grandmother is one of her favorite relatives. She only has really good memories of her.  
  
Without fail, she sends Jieun a letter monthly, along with 10,000 ~~W~~ , which isn't that much, but it was  _something_ , especially if it arrives so promptly on every 16th of the month. When she was younger, her grandparents would visit during the holidays, around Lunar New Year, and stay for almost a week. She'd taught Jieun how to make cute-shaped steamed rice cakes, and when she was a little older, she'd even let Jieun help in making the rib stew. ("This is your mother's job," her Grams had told her. "It used to be my job, but one day it will be yours, so watch carefully how it's done.")  
  
Around three years ago, a year after Jieun's grandfather (her father's father) had passed away, her grandmother had stopped coming to visit, blaming her bad back and motion sickness (that she had sworn was getting worse with age) for traveling difficulties. The letters and Jieun's monthly allowance still kept coming though, still always on schedule, which makes Jieun feel very grateful, which is why for this summer, she had decided that it was her turn to give back, visit her Grams, and maybe help her around the house.  
  
However, despite her complaints of constant backaches and arthritis, Jieun isn't surprised to find her grandmother in the yard, gardening, when she arrives at the house— her grandmother has always been happiest when she's doing something, and had never been one to just sit around.  
  
"Grams, I'm here," Jiyeon says, announcing her presence with a shy, but excited voice.  
  
Her grandmother looks up, sees Jieun, and her face brightens immediately.  
  
"Our Jieunnie is here!" she exclaims, standing up and wiping her hands on her gardening apron. She holds out her arms, and closes them around Jieun's small back as soon as Jieun steps into them.  
  
Her grandmother smells like freshly dug-up dirt and old lady, but returns the embrace just as tightly.  
  
"I missed you Grams," Jieun says.  
  
"I'm glad you came, Jieun," her grandmother says, giving her a squeeze before pulling away. "You've grown so much!"  
  
"I'm happy to be here," Jieun says, beaming at her grandmother. "And I barely grew an inch since we last saw each other!"  
  
"You look like a young lady anyway," Grams insists, and Jieun knew then that nothing she says will make the woman change her mind, so she just smiles as a thank you.  
  
  
  
Jieun wears The Pants on the first day that she ventures into the center of the town. She had wanted to stay in and help her grandmother with house or yard work, but Grams had insisted that she get to know the place first.  
  
The first things she notices is that there isn't a 24/7 convenience store anywhere. She giggles to herself thinking that Jiyeon will probably die in shock at that. She takes note of the one PC room around— her e-mail inbox will probably soon be flooded with e-mails from her friends.  
  
She enters an eatery, and there's a fair amount of people inside it, making a fair amount of noise.  
  
"Sorry," Jieun apologises when she almost bumps into a girl carrying a tray of food.  
  
The girl smiles at her, her eyes turning into half-moons. "It's okay," she says. "Please seat anywhere you want!"  
  
And then the girl walks off, presumably to deliver the food she had with her to whichever table had ordered it. Jieun chooses a seat by the counter, and almost as soon as she does, she's handed a menu by the same girl, still with the same welcoming smile.  
  
"Thank you," Jieun says, smiling back before poring through the list of food she had been given. She pats The Pants' left pocket— he grandmother had given her a wad of cash before she had left the house. "This month's allowance," Grams had said, and Jieun had realised that it was this month's 10,000 ~~W~~.  
  
"But I have my own pocket money," Jieun had argued, not wanting to take anything for her grandma. She  _had_  come to help and not impose after all.  
  
But Grams had insisted. "Use it around town," she said.  
  
So in the end Jieun accepted.  _At least_ , she realises as she looks through the menu,  _everything costs a lot less out here_.  
  
Jieun orders black bean noodles which she eats quietly as she observes everyone in the place, from the workers to the other customers. Sunyoung had told her once, that according to her mother (who is the most well-travelled person that Jieun knows), the best venue to soak up the feel of a new place is the local market. Jieun figures that this local diner will do for now.  
  
The locals, she decides, seem nice and friendly, but also very close-knit. Also just a little bit too old-fashioned.  
  
"Hello," a voice greets her as soon as she steps out of the building. When she turns, she finds that it's that girl again, with the half-moon smiling eyes.  
  
"Hi," Jieun answers shyly.  
  
"You have something here," the girl says, motioning towards the lower part of her face.  
  
"Eh?" Jieun asks, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.  
  
The girl giggles. "It was some black bean sauce. But you got it."  
  
"Oh." Jieun blushes, a little embarrassed. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem," the girl says. "You're new here aren't you?"  
  
Jieun nods. "I'm just visiting my grandmother for the summer."  
  
"That's sweet of you," the girl says. "My name is Suzy."  
  
"That's cute," Jieun comments. "It suits you."  
  
"Thank you," Suzy smiles. "When I was a little girl I had a doll that I named Suzy too. I don't know why I'm telling you this." She laughs. "I guess I'm saying I like my name."  
  
Jieun laughs along. "I'm Jieun."  
  
She has the weirdest urge to pinch the other girl's cheeks. She stops herself though, just grabbing the side of The Pants instead. She didn't want to seem too forward or presumptuous.   
  
Suzy giggles. "Come again soon! We have really good house specialties. Try the  _naengmyeon_  sometimes."  
  
Jieun smiles. "I will," she promises.  
  


 

_Dear Jiyeon,_

_I met a girl here. Her name is Suzy and she's a year younger than us, but she's taller than me by a couple of inches. She reminds me of you somehow, which is weird, because you look and act nothing alike._

_She calls me 'unnie' and it's weird having someone do that, even though I also can't explain why. Her family owns a local eatery— the food is simple, but tasty, and cheap. You'd probably be able to eat a lot of servings in one sitting. ㅋㅋ_

_Suzy says her family always welcomes extra hands if I want to make some cash this summer, but I'm not sure. I did come here to help Grams. Although she keeps trying to get me out of the house. I think she's too used to living alone and doing things on her own, that I might just be in her way. :(_

_Oh. As for The Pants— I was wearing them when I met Suzy, but apart from that nothing else exciting or the least bit noteworthy has actually happened. Hopefully soon something does!_

_Write back!  
Love lots,  
Jieun_

  
  
  
Jieun develops a routine.  
  
Every day, she wakes up early in the morning, before her grandmother does, just so she can prepare breakfast. The first time she had tried to help out around the kitchen for dinner, her grandmother had fussed over her, saying she had it all covered, and Jieun should just wait until the food is ready. Jieun felt like her grandmother still saw her as a little child, incapable around the kitchen, and the house in general, so she comes up with the breakfast plan.  
  
After a week, her grandmother beams at her, and proudly declares, "You will make a good wife to somebody someday."  
  
Jieun graciously accepts the comment as a compliment, which is what she knows it is meant to be. From then on Grams lets her help around the house in the morning— dusting the windows, sweeping the floor, airing out the mattresses. Every now and then, she would even let Jieun help out around the garden, which is saying a lot, because her garden is her pride and joy.  
  
Jieun is always sent off around after lunch time though, always told to get better acquainted with the town.  
  
"It would please me," her grandmother insists. "I'd like the entire town to know what a lovely grand-daughter I have."  
  
But there's only so much that Jieun can do day in and day out, so she ends up helping at Suzy's family eatery three times a week, up until around dinner rush, for a small part-time wage.  
  
Naturally, she gets closer with Suzy, who is younger, but whose quiet, but sweet company Jieun really enjoys. During the lull of some days, the two of them would sit by the counter, or sometimes by the front of the store. Neither of them is as talkative as, say, Sunyoung, or even Jiyeon, but they always seem to find things to talk about (never mind that at times there tend to be some awkward pauses).  
  
One time, Suzy starts musing out loud about her dreams.  
  
"I want to be a celebrity," Suzy giggles. "Famous for my singing, maybe my acting."  
  
"You sing?" Jieun asks.  
  
Suzy shrugs. "Just a little. I don't know if I'm any good."   
  
"I'll bring my guitar sometimes!" Jieun declares, smiling. "We can sing together."  
  
Suzy laughs. "Okay, unnie."  
  
Jieun beams at her, but then Suzy sighs, and rests her face on Jieun's shoulder.  
  
"Realistically though, I'm probably going to grow old here, and take care of the family business," she says. "It doesn't seem like such a bad deal to be honest. I will definitely make it more successful than it is currently."  
  
Jieun smiles. "No, that doesn't sound bad either."  
  
Suzy giggles, and smiles, and bites her lower lip with her prominent front teeth, which reminds Jieun of cute bunnies, which reminds Jieun of Jiyeon when they were younger, and her friend had a huge complex about her huge front teeth.  
  
"You're blanking out, unnie." Suzy's voice gets through to Jieun.  
  
"Oh, sorry," she smiles. "I was just thinking of my friends back home."  
  
"What about?" Suzy asks, her eyes crinkling, her expression curious.  
  
Jieun smiles widely, and she tells Suzy about Jiyeon, and also about Sunyoung, and she talks, and talks, and talks more than she thought she was even capable of, and Suzy listens, and laughs, until Suzy's parents call for them and tell them that the eatery is beginning to fill up with people again.  
  
"Sometimes, you remind me of Jiyeon," Jieun admits to Suzy as they head to the kitchen.  
  
Suzy laughs. "She doesn't sound much like me from your stories, unnie."  
  
"I know," Jieun smiles sheepishly. "But there's  _something_."  
  
"If you say so," Suzy says, grinning. "I'll just take it as a compliment."  
  
  
  
Jieun has always gone to church on Sundays. Nothing changes in that regard for the summer, except for the fact that she is now accompanied by her grandmother, who, as it turns out, is a very active member of the local church.  
  
She introduces Jieun to Youngbae, home from University during the summer, and who is apparently the local pastor's son.  
  
Jieun actually finds him cute, with a smile as bright as the sun, as over-the-top as that might sound. She finds herself trying to suppress (and greatly failing for the most part) giggles when he talks to her.  
  
_He's really nice,_  she thinks.  
  
The day after, over breakfast, her grandmother when she is asked what she makes of him, and that's exactly what she answers. But then she's given a sly smile by Grams, and her brows crease, and she tries to think about him more. She finds that there isn't really more that comes to mind. He's nice, he's cute, and he made her giggle for a brief moment when they were together, but that's when her thoughts hit a dead end.  
  
  
  
One afternoon, she makes plans with Suzy to hang out, and she drags the younger girl to the post office.  
  
"Mailing letters again?" Suzy teases. "Technology exists for a reason, unnie!"  
  
Jieun laughs. "Shouldn't I be the one telling you that, backwards country girl?"  
  
Suzy snorts. " _Well._ "  
  
Jieun shakes her head, and just shows her the package she wrapped the night before.  
  
"What is it?" Suzy asks.  
  
"It's a pair of pants my friends and I are sharing throughout the summer."  
  
Suzy looks confused. "Sharing? Throughout the summer."  
  
Jieun giggles. "It sounds stupid, I know, but see they're kind of...  _magic_."  
  
"Magic?" Suzy laughs. "Really?"  
  
Jieun is blushing, she knows. "They kind of really  _are_ ," she insists, trying to channel Jiyeon's great belief in The Pants.  
  
"Okay, I'm listening," Suzy says, and Jieun thinks she looks so cute trying to stifle laughter.  
  
"They kind of... fit each one of us," Jieun explains. " _Perfectly._ "  
  
Suzy shrugs. "I share clothes with my school friends sometimes."  
  
"Yeah, but see we don't," Jieun says. "Not pants or shorts or skirts anyway. Any of us would look awkward in each other's clothes because we're all so...  _different_."  
  
Suzy nods slowly. "Well, okay?"  
  
"And these pants? They fit each of us perfectly."  
  
Suzy stares at her, and Jieun laughs nervously.  
  
"We should have taken pictures so I can show you," she says.  
  
Suzy smiles. "Probably should have."  
  
"But I've shown you pictures of them before, right?"  
  
Suzy nods. "You're all pretty," she says.  
  
Jieun blushes, and tries to hide it with an awkward laugh. "Well. Thank you. You're really cute."  
  
Suzy grins.  
  
  


 

_Jiyeonnie,_

_I've had a couple of mini-adventures wearing The Pants. I've explored the town, and like I've previously e-mailed I'm earning a bit of cash as well. I accidentally spilled a bit of black bean sauce on The Pants, but I don't think they're really that visible. Oh but you and Sunyoung will be glad to know I had avocado ice cream while wearing them. And NOT vanilla, haha. :)_

_I hope you have lots of fun in these!_

_Love always,  
Jieun_

  
  
  
"Unnie, have you ever kissed someone before?" is a question Suzy asks Jieun one afternoon while business at the eatery is slow.  
  
Jieun feels all her blood rush to her face and she wonders if she's the color of a very ripe tomato. She tries to answer "No," but all that comes out is a little squeak, so she shakes her head to make her answer clear.  
  
"I was talking to my friend last night," Suzy explained, a little giggly, and she looks a little dreamy. "She says she and her boyfriend did it. They kissed. At the park."  
  
"Have you?" Jieun asks.  
  
It's Suzy's turn to shake her head. "I can't think of anyone I want to kiss, but... the idea kind of makes me giddy!"  
  
Her giddiness makes  _Jieun_  feel giddy, and they spend the next few minutes just giggling in each other's company.  
  
"I also have a friend who's had her first kiss," Jieun tells Suzy.  
  
"Jiyeon-unnie or Sunyoung-unnie?" Suzy asks.  
  
Jieun laughs. "Jiyeonnie."  
  
"How was it?"  
  
Jieun keeps laughing. "She hated it. She said it was sloppy, and it wasn't the right guy anyway."  
  
Suzy giggles. "How could it not be the right guy?!"  
  
"She had a boyfriend for one day," Jieun says, stifling laughter as she tries to explain. "I think they might just have broken up because of the sloppy kiss."  
  
Suzy laughs. "So that proves then that your first kiss has to be with the right person, huh?"  
  
"I guess," Jieun shrugs.  
  
"Does unnie have someone she wants to kiss?" There's a glint in Suzy's eye, and once again Jieun is fleetingly reminded of Jiyeon.  
  
And then she finds herself staring at Suzy's lips, but she forces herself to look elsewhere immediately. She's really confused, but at the same time, she feels like she understands herself more than she would like to admit.  
  
"Not really," she says, but she feels her cheeks get warmer.  
  
"I think unnie is lying," Suzy declares, but she doesn't really pry anymore.  
  
  
  
One afternoon Jieun comes home and find that her grandmother has company. She greets them politely, and then goes off to the kitchen to find some snacks to serve Grams and her guest. She's about to take a tray of rice cakes with two cups of hot tea to the common room when she hears what her grandmother and her friend are talking about.  
  
"Do you remember that girl Hana?" her grandmother's friend is saying.  
  
"Park Haemi's granddaughter?" Grams asks. "Didn't she go to Seoul for University and stayed there after?"  
  
"Yes yes," the other woman nods. "I hear she's working as a stylist for celebrities now."  
  
"Oh, like who?"   
  
The other woman shrugs. "I think some young idols. I was told their names but I forgot."  
  
"That's very good for her," Grams says, nodding in approval.  
  
"But that's not the biggest news!" says her friend, shaking her head, and making a clucking noise with her mouth. "I hear she's living with another woman."  
  
"But that's normal to share a flat—" Grams squints at her friend's expression. "Oh you mean?  _Oh_."  
  
Jieun swallows her saliva, debating with herself whether or not she should bring in the food already. But then her grandmother speaks up again.  
  
"That's not right at all," she says, and there's something about her tone that makes Jieun very uneasy.  
  
"I think my husband would disown our daughters if any of them does that," the other woman says, shaking her head.  
  
Jieun chooses that moment to interrupt their conversation, plastering a smile on her face. But her heart is thumping wildly, and she gets out of the room as soon as she lays down the food tray.  
  
The next thing she knows, Jieun is in her room having a hard time breathing.  
  
  
  
Jieun scrolls through her phonebook. She knows she needs to talk to someone or she's going to explode. She pauses by Jiyeon's name, but she knows this is something she can't tell Jiyeon. At least not yet.  
  
She feels anxious as she listens to Sunyoung's phone ring. Sunyoung's call back tone is a girl group singing a hook song that's about fluffy feelings and best friendships, and it makes Jieun smile a little. But then it stops, and she knows Sunyoung has picked up, and Jieun's breath hitches a little.  
  
"Jieunnie?" Jieun can almost hear the smile in Sunyoung's voice.  
  
"Sunyoung-ah," she says softly.   
  
"Jieun?" There is an obvious change in the tone of Sunyoung's voice. "Is everything alright?"  
  
"I think I need to tell you something," Jieun says.  
  
"Of course," Sunyoung says. "What is it?"  
  
"B-but um. Are you busy?" Jieun suddenly asks. She closes her eyes tightly, and pulls her legs close to her body. "It can wait if you're busy."  
  
"There's a talk circle in five to ten minutes, but that can wait," Sunyoung says. "What's wrong?"  
  
Jieun takes a deep breath.  
  
"Jieun?" Sunyoung asks when Jieun stays quiet.  
  
"I don't know how to say it," Jieun mumbles. "I wish we could talk in person."  
  
"Okay now I'm really worried," Sunyoung says. "Are you hurt? What happened Jieunnie?"  
  
Jieun chokes a little, and then it's Sunyoung who is taking deep breaths.  
  
"I'm okay," Jieun says. "It's just that... I've been thinking a lot recently."  
  
"About?"  
  
"About myself," Jieun says. Her voice is getting smaller and smaller. "And how... how I... how I feel about people."  
  
"Mhm," Sunyoung agrees, waiting for Jieun to continue.  
  
"Sunyoung what would you do if I told you that...  _Ilikegirls_ ," Jieun says the last words so quickly and so softly that they're almost inaudible.  
  
There's a pause on Sunyoung's end, and Jieun thinks her friend probably didn't understand. She feels like she's about to hyperventilate, because she doesn't really know if she can say it again. Jieun knows that Sunyoung is the one who holds her faith closest to her heart among the three of them, and Jieun also knows what the Bible says about...  _people like her_ , but she also knows Sunyoung, who has been her best friend for most of her life, and she knows Sunyoung is very understanding, and that's what she was counting on.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sunyoung finally says, her tone calm.  
  
"Yes," Jieun murmurs. "I think... I think I might really like this girl I met here. In  _that_  way."  
  
Sunyoung sighs. "Suzy?"  
  
"Mhm," Jieun whimpered.  
  
"Is this the first time?" Sunyoung asks. "I mean you... with a girl."  
  
Jieun stays silent. She isn't sure how or if she could answer Sunyoung's question.  
  
"Hello?" Sunyoung says.  
  
"I think I've had feelings for Jiyeon for a long time now." Jieun is choking back actual tears now.  
  
"Oh." Jieun could imagine Sunyoung's face falling with concern. "Oh  _Jieun_."  
  
Jieun finally lets the flood gates loose, and Sunyoung stays on the phone with her until she's released it all.


	2. Chapter 2

  
Jiyeon has lived all her life in a pretty decent apartment complex in the better part of the city. Growing up, she actually had it pretty easy.  
  
She has never been the smartest at school, but she always gets by nicely, sailing along the class average. She's also a quick study, so when she wants to do something, she works on it a little, and then she always learns the basic how-to's quickly. Her appearance isn't the most inviting, or the friendliest initially, but people always seem to easily warm up to her anyway.  
  
Basically, Jiyeon is used to having things go her way all the time.  
  
So on the first day of summer without her friends, Jiyeon feels that everything will work itself out. Or that's what she wants to believe anyway.  
  
  
The day starts out quiet. Her father is already at work, and her brother, Hyojun, is out. She assumes he's out with his friends, not wasting any last free moment of the summer before he has to spend every free time he has studying for university entrance exams.  _Probably trying to pick up girls too_ , she thinks with an inward snort, rolling her eyes.  
  
Her mother is nowhere to be found as well though, which is a little weird. Her mother has been a housewife for more than half of Jiyeon's life, and it's not that it's wrong for her to have a life of her own, it's just... really strange, and Jiyeon is used to her always doing housework around the house, and Jiyeon is used to having newly cooked breakfast laid out on the dining table and ready for her when she wakes up.  
  
She pours herself some milk and cereal and looks around the kitchen. There's no note from her mother, which makes her frown. The fridge and the pantry are both fully stocked, so she knows her mother definitely did not step out to go to the grocery or the fresh market.  
  
She keys in a message for her mother on her hand phones asking about her whereabouts as she digs into her frosted flakes. She's not exactly  _worried_  about her mother, but more like she's bothered. She knows her mother has slipped out of the house more than once recently, and always without explanation.  
  
"I'm just out for the morning, sweetie." Her mother's reply arrives right after Jiyeon puts her bowl in the dishwasher. "Just make breakfast for yourself, okay?"  
  
There's a cute smiley face at the end, and Jiyeon briefly wonders how her mother learned to make virtual smiley faces. And then she frowns, because clearly her mother has secrets, and she's not really sure how she feels about this.  
  
She sighs and just heads back to her room. She stares at her comfortable looking, unmade bed. And then she looks out the window, and doing so already makes her feel hot and sticky and sweaty, and  _why is the sun so high up this early in the morning?!_  She groans, and she really wants to dive into her bed and simply sleep the entire day away.  
  
But she knows she has a long day ahead, and that she really should get ready because she has track team practice in an hour. After five minutes of staring blankly at everything in her room, she finally drags herself to the bathroom to take a shower.  
  
She's still thinking about her mother when she walks to school, and she hates doing it. She also wonders how Jieun and Sunyoung are doing, and she realises she's going to miss them even more than she anticipated, and she had anticipated  _a lot_.  
  
She runs into the Ryu twins right outside the school's gates, and she receives an invitation to hang out after practice. She readily agrees, and for a brief moment she forgets to think too much.  
  
Brief is the keyword though, and she remains distracted all throughout the day, even during practice. She thinks about the argument her parents had after dinner the night before, and she wonders exactly what it could have been about, and she thinks about her brother throwing her strange looks, and then she wonders what  _that_  could be about.  
  
She feels like she already knows, or at least she should, but she has always hated thinking about things like this.  
  
Jiyeon gets back home later, right around before dinner, and her mother is there, in the kitchen, cooking. Her father is in the living room, and her brother, she's told, is up in his room.  
  
Everything looks and feels normal, but she's had a lot of thoughts go through her head that day, and she can't help but feel uneasy. She really hates being away from her friends. For some reason, when they're around, Jiyeon always has a hundred and one other things to think about, all of them always happy.  
  
  
  
Jiyeon's enthusiasm for The Pants have unfortunately dwindled when it reaches her. It still makes her smile when she opens the package, and she sees what's inside. Reading Jieun's letter makes her smile bigger, but it also makes her miss her friends more.  
  
She sends Jieun a brief text message telling her she got The Pants, but also that Jieun should have probably tried to do more in it. And then she absentmindedly slings The Pants over her study chair, because she's not really in the mood for "adventures" at the moment.  
  
She lies in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Everybody's home, but the house is as quiet as ever, apart from the gentle buzz of the television set— her father is in the living room watching some documentary. Her brother is in his room, in front of his computer, doing God knows what. Jiyeon isn't sure what her mother is doing, but she knows she's at least home.  
  
Jiyeon has just come home from an early morning run, which she's decided she will do every day, for the entirety of the summer, track practice or no. It helps keep her in shape, and it's not like she has anything better to do. Besides, the more time she spends out of the house, the better too, she thinks.  
  
Her door creaks open, and when she turns to look, it's her brother by the door.  
  
"You okay?" Hyojun asks, and Jiyeon smiles— the biggest she can muster.  
  
"Of course. I'm hungry though," she says, sitting up. "Let's eat out, oppa. Your treat!"  
  
Hyojun laughs, shakes his head, and sighs. "Okay, come on, let's go."  
  
Jiyeon grins, grabs a purse, and attaches herself to her brothers arm.   
  
"We're going out!" she cries out loud, just before opening the door.   
  
Their mother pops out from the kitchen, and stares at them, as if she's going to forbid them.   
  
But then she just says, "Okay take care, and come home before dinner."  
  
Jiyeon waves, and drags her brother out, and then they're off.  
  
"I want pizza," Jiyeon tells her brother. "And pasta. Let's have Italian!"  
  
Hyojun laughs. "I'm not made of money."  
  
"Psh," Jiyeon says. "I know you have some extra cash, you can use that to pamper your beloved little sister."  
  
"Fine," Hyojun gives in. "But just this afternoon."  
  
Jiyeon orders a feast for herself, and promises her brother that she isn't even close to being done, at least not until she gets to have some dessert. Her brother just rolls her eyes at her, but they both know she's going to get what she wants in the end.  
  
She's in the middle of eating her mini pizza when Hyojun brings up the subject of their parents.  
  
"What do you think?" he asks.  
  
"What do I think what?" Jiyeon frowns, and pretends to be engrossed in dividing her food into tiny bite-sized pieces.  
  
'You know what I mean," Hyojun says.  
  
"No I don't," Jiyeon says, with a firm tone that ends the topic of conversation.  
  
Her brother just sighs, a little frustrated, but she knows he's going to let it slide.  
  
"Oppa," Jiyeon murmurs. "Let's just have fun today, okay?"  
  
  
  


_Jieunnie,_

_How's the countryside treating you? I really miss you and Sunyoung. I wish we could talk._

_I'm writing this because... well you said we should try to hand write some letters, right? And I'm hoping that by the time this reaches you, I'd be feeling better anyway._

_♥, Jiyeon_

  
  
  
Every day it gets worse, Jiyeon thinks. Little by little, but more and more, and Jiyeon has lost the distractions she used to rely on. Every day she would notice her parents having whispered discussions and hushed arguments. The day before she knows her mother had gone out the entire day. After dinner, after she and her brother were safely holed up in their rooms, she could still hear them arguing in the living room, voices rising after every other comeback.  
  
She knows it's not only that she has too much free time that she can't help but notice everything now. She knows it's because things between her parents really  _have_  gotten worse. She tries to blank out every now and then, and spend as much time as she can with friends and acquaintances, hanging out anywhere that is not at home, she thinks maybe in the end things will go her away again.  
  
Currently she's at a playground, with Soyeon, who lives on the floor above her and her family. She's baby-sitting for the Moons, another family who lives in their building, and Jiyeon had run into them while on her morning run. With nothing else to do, she'd decided to tag along. It's working so far as a distraction, because the Moon children are adorable, and Jiyeon feels like a little kid again, just playing with them.  
  
She remembers every day after school play dates here, racing on the jungle gym bars with Sunyoung, and going on the seesaw with Jieun. She even remembers playing in the sandbox with her older brother as early as when she was four or five years old.  
  
"So what are your plans after this?" Soyeon asks her.  
  
Jiyeon is pushing the two older boys on the swing set, while Soyeon is looking over the youngest baby.   
  
She shrugs in response. "I have no plans."  
  
"Do you want to come along?" Soyeon offers. "I'm meeting Boram for coffee after I drop the boys off back home."  
  
Boram, like Soyeon, is a few years older than Jiyeon. She used to live in the same apartment building as well, until a few years ago when she and her mother moved to an even more upscale neighborhood. Jiyeon thinks on it a little, and she remembers that Boram's parents have been divorced since she was four.  
  
"Is it okay if I come along?" Jiyeon asks. "I didn't realise you and Boram-unnie were still in contact!"  
  
Soyeon smiles. "We go to the same University. And obviously I wouldn't invite you if it wasn't okay!"  
  
"Well  _obviously_ ," Jiyeon says, laughing. "Okay, I'm in. I'll change clothes while you drop the children off at their place."  
  
  
It turns out Boram hasn't really changed a lot from when Jiyeon last saw her a number of years ago, and her height, unfortunately, is the most unchanged thing about her.  
  
"Unnie!" Jiyeon squeals, accompanied with a burst of giggles, as she hugs the older girl. "You look like an elementary schoolgirl! So cute!"  
  
"Watch your tone, I'm still older," Boram warns Jiyeon, but her tone is good-natured, and her face is smiling. " _You've_  grown. A lot."  
  
Jiyeon nods, and grins. "How are you, unnie?"   
  
They spend the afternoon catching up, and it's fun because Soyeon is the type to never  _ever_  run out of stories and funny things to say. Boram and Soyeon also have a sort of back and forth that Jiyeon finds amusing, and makes her think about her friends, missing them even more. Jiyeon also listens to them talk about university, asking questions, and in turn she teases him about how fun it is to still be in high school.  
  
Right before they decide it's time to go, Boram's phone starts ringing. It's her father apparently, so she has to excuse herself for a short while.  
  
Jiyeon watches her from afar, talking to her father on the phone.  
  
"It must have been tough for Boram-unnie, huh," Jiyeon muses out loud.  
  
"What do you mean?" Soyeon asks, putting down the glass of water she just drank from.  
  
Jiyeon shrugs. "Well. You know, her parents have been apart since she was little. That must be hard?"  
  
Soyeon quirks an eyebrow. "Probably. I don't think I can even try to understand."  
  
Jiyeon nods, and says softly. "You're right."  
  
Soyeon stares at her strangely, and she looks like she's about to tell her something when Boram finally gets back to them.  
  
"We're meeting for dinner," Boram explains when she gets back. "He's busy every other night this week, so I have to rush, sorry!"  
  
They walk Boram to the bus station, and separate with her from there.   
  
"Unnie, do you want to go get dinner?" Jiyeon asks after, taking a quick glance at her watch.  
  
Soyeon laughs. "We've been together all day, Park Jiyeon, we should be getting tired of each other by now."  
  
Jiyeon turns her big brown eyes towards Soyeon and gives her a withering, woe-is-me look. It's a weapon she doesn't like to use often, but it's a weapon she has nonetheless.   
  
Soyeon just laughs at her even more. "Do you not want to go home or something?"  
  
Jiyeon laughs it off at first, pauses, and then just gives Soyeon a casual shrug. The older girl narrows her eyes at Jiyeon, but she doesn't pry, which makes Jiyeon thankful.   
  
Soyeon links arms with her, and declares, "Okay, dinner then, but let's just get fast food because I need to not spend too much. I'm already broke from shopping too much this summer,"  
  
Jiyeon grins. "Let's get KFC."  
  
  
  
Jiyeon gets home just a little later than usual that night. It feels tense as soon as she enters the apartment, so she just wants to tiptoe quietly straight to her room. But the entire family is in the living room and when she passes by, they all look at her like they're expecting for her to join them.  
  
Quietly, she sits beside her brother who shifts to make room for her on the couch.  
  
"Your mother and I," her father starts. "We've been talking about it for a while, and we've finally started on filing the paper work needed for divorce."  
  
He says it so bluntly, because that's always how her father has been, and Jiyeon, just stares at the two of them. She isn't even really shocked; instead there is a weird sinking feeling in her stomach. She stays quiet, and so does her brother.  
  
"Your mother has been trying to find another apartment for the last few weeks, and she's also been going to job interviews," her father continues.  
  
From her side, Jiyeon could see her brother just nodding. She just remains still and silent.  
  
"I found one, a place. I'll be paying for the lease soon," her mother says. "But I won't be immediately moving out."  
  
And then there's another long pause, and no one is really moving, with the exception of Hyojun shuffling his feet. At least until finally, Jiyeon stands up abruptly, and quickly storms to her room, purposefully slamming the door.   
  
She  _knows_  she's being unreasonable, that the family discussion hasn't even really started yet, but she couldn't help it. She hates that it took her a year to realise this was happening, and she hates that she put on her blinders on purpose. She hates the way they're breaking the news to her, and her brother, just dropping the bomb when it's all practically finalised. She's always been used to a perfect life, and now she can't help but cry and cry and  _just cry_ , because it's not like that anymore.  
  
She tries anyway; she tries to hold back her tears by furiously wiping them away. There's a knock on her door, which she ignores. She doesn't really like being a brat, and she knows she'll just be even more of one if she answers.  
  
"Jiyeon, it's me." It's her mother's voice. "Father and I are really sorry."  
  
Jiyeon takes a deep breath.  
  
"We'll talk tomorrow," her mother says with a sigh. There's a pause, and Jiyeon assumes she's waiting for a reply, but she doesn't give any.   
  
When her mother realises that there's none, Jiyeon hears the sound of feet walking away.  
  
She closes her eyes tightly, and when she opens them, the first thing she sees are The Pants, slung over her computer chair, forgotten for days. She grabs it, and furiously puts it on, almost falling over behind on her bed when she forcefully pulls it up her legs.  
  
She stands in front of the mirror for around a minute, staring at her reflection, and at The Pants. And then she takes out her track team duffel bag, and shoves the first few handfuls of clothes she can grab from her closet. She listens through her door for a while, straining her ears, trying to figure out if they're all still in the living room. Exactly at that moment, she hears feet, and then three seconds later, she hears the door to her brother's room beside her open, and then immediately close.  
  
She bites her lip and opens her own door gently, quietly stepping out, trying to make as little noise as possible even when she closes it again. She stands in front of her bed room silently for a few seconds, pondering about what she's doing, or at least what she's about to do, but the thing is, Jiyeon is the sort who hates thinking  _too much_. She tiptoes gently past the living room (although when she takes a peek, her parents aren't even there anymore), until she reaches the front door.   
  
Even as she turns the door knob, she knows this is stupid, and she's probably going to end up running back home eventually. Still, at the very least, she feels like she needs some air.  
  
  
As soon as she steps out of the apartment building, Jiyeon realises that she has absolutely no idea where she can go, at least for the night. Jieun and Sunyoung are still out of town, and she couldn't really think of anyone else she wants to talk to, or even just  _face_  at the moment. The summer night is breezy, and she just walks for a while until she reaches the same playground she was just at earlier that day.   
  
She sits on one of the swings, and stares at her phone, scrolling through her contacts, wondering which of them she can call, and whose place she can crash, at least for the night. She keeps scrolling, looping from start to end, until she just gives up and outs away the phone in her pocket.  
  
She looks around the empty place, and eyes her watch. It's almost midnight. She didn't even realise that around an hour had passed.   
  
She thinks about movies she's seen where people slept at the train station, or at the bus station, and she thinks maybe she can do that. But it feels foolish, because if she's going to any transport station, she at least wants to know if there's somewhere she would want to go once she wakes up. She really has no idea, although, maybe she can follow Jieun to her grandmother's town. She racks her mind for Jieun's current address, but she keeps getting distracted by the image of herself sleeping at a bus station. For some reason, it creeps her out.  
  
Still, that sounds vaguely like a plan, so she takes out her phone. If Jieun is still awake, maybe she can ask for her current address. As soon as she does though, it starts ringing, and Jiyeon is so surprised she almost drops it. When she checks the screen, she finds out that it's her brother. It's not until she rejects the call, that she realises neither of her parents have even tried contacting her.  
  
The phone almost immediately rings again, but it's still her brother. Jiyeon briefly thinks about answering, but she still presses the reject button in the end. She opens the new message option, and types something about being "okay, so don't worry," but before she could send it, she suddenly feels a hand on her shoulder— her eyes widen immediately, and she screams so loudly, terrified.  
  
"Jiyeonnie, it's just me." Her brother. Somehow, she isn't surprised.  
  
"Oppa, you scared me," she says, taking a deep breath, and clutching at her heart.  
  
Hyojun laughs, and takes a seat on the other swing. He stares at Jiyeon's bag, lying so forlornly on the dirt.  
  
"Are you running away?" he asks. " _Again_?"  
  
Jiyeon flinches. "Maybe," she mutters. "And you can't call it running away again if Mom and Dad didn't even really notice the first time around. That one counts for  _you_ , not me."  
  
She had been seven then, her brother eight. The two of them had had a huge fight, over something Jiyeon barely even remembers now. And then their parents had gotten over a big fight over  _their_  big fight, and all Jiyeon remembers now is feeling like her life was ruined because her brother hated her, and her parents hated each other, and maybe they hated their children too, and... and in the end she had ran away, staying at a park near the elementary school for an entire afternoon.  
  
No one came looking for her in the end, which made her feel cheated and even more unloved, until she came home, and realised that her brother had the same exact bright idea.  
  
"Wait," she pauses, squinting at Hyojun. "Don't tell me  _you_  left home without saying anything too?"  
  
Hyojun snorts. "We're not kids now, Jiyeon. Mom and Dad still don't know about you though, because they think that they should give us some 'time.'"  
  
"So what are you doing here?" Jiyeon asks, looking down, and toeing the dirt with her sneakers.  
  
"Bringing you back home," he says. "Don't make them worry unnecessarily when they wake up tomorrow, Jiyeon."  
  
"That's not my intention," Jiyeon murmurs.  
  
"Then what is?"   
  
Jiyeon grips the chains of the swing tightly. She knows she has no proper answer. And then suddenly her tears are pouring down her cheeks, and no matter how much she tries, she's unable to stop them.  
  
"I just... don't want to be home right now," she says, in between sobs.  
  
" _Why_?" her brother asks.  
  
She just keeps crying. She knows any answer she comes up with will be purely selfish.  
  
"They've been unhappy for a while Jiyeon," Hyojun says gently. "Mother, especially. It's not really your fault. Or mine."  
  
"What are we going to do now?" Jiyeon sniffs.  
  
Hyojun laughs. "Stay the same? Be supportive of their decisions?"  
  
"Oppa," Jiyeon cries, her tears still running down her face non-stop. "Why did I pretend not to notice? Maybe we could have done something?  _Anything_. I just want things to be great again."  
  
Hyojun pats her head. "You're still such a child sometimes," he says with a sigh.  
  
"You're only a year older," Jiyeon snarls.  
  
Hyojun shrugs, and Jiyeon just cries even harder, and her brother just pats her back and lets her.  
  
  
  
When they finally get back home, she locks herself up in her bedroom, and then she calls Jieun.  
  
The other line rings five times, and Jiyeon is about to just press cancel, thinking that Jieun is probably sleeping already (which Jiyeon expected that really, but she wanted to be just a little selfish once more anyway), when Jieun finally picks up.  
  
"Hello?" Her voice is groggy, and Jiyeon feels a little bad knowing that she probably woke up her best friend.   
  
"Hello?" Jieun repeats. "Jiyeon?"  
  
"Sorry I know it's late," Jiyeon says, and her voice is still somewhat hoarse from all the crying earlier.  
  
"Jiyeon, are you okay? Jieun asks, sounding worried, and a little more awake.  
  
"Mhm," Jiyeon mumbles. "I just. I can't sleep."  
  
"Oh," Jieun says. "Do you want me—?"  
  
When they were younger, Jiyeon used to constantly proclaim that Jieun had the best voice ever and that she was going to grow up and become famous because of it. She used to call Jieun up before bedtime, and demand a lullaby, "to keep monsters away," and Jieun would laugh, because they both know Jiyeon was just joking and teasing about the monsters. But then she'd sing anyway, because it's Jiyeon who's asking, and every time she'd do it, Jiyeon would always declare the next day that she had the best night's sleep ever.  
  
"Please?" Jiyeon's voice sounds unusually tiny.  
  
So Jieun sings to her, and Jiyeon is quiet, until finally she speaks up again, her voice finally sleepy. "Thank you Jieunnie. Sorry again. Good night."  
  
  
  
When Jiyeon wakes up in the morning, she composes an e-mail and sends it to her friends.  
  


I think my parents are separating.

  
And then she tries to start the day with a smile. Somehow, though, it feels easier and not as forced as it did the previous day.  
  
She packs The Pants, and after breakfast, she sets off to send it to Sunyoung.  
  
  
  


_Dearest Sunyoung,_

_I'm so sorry The Pants stayed with me for so long. I will take any penalty you and Jieun want to give me. They were perfect, and I hope they work their magic on you._

_Love you always,  
Jiyeon_

  
  
  
-  
  
  
When she starts at camp, even after only a day's stay, Sunyoung is already feeling lost. Not literally, because she's pretty good with directions (and it's not like there's really a lot to get lost in anyway— a few cabins, a community hall, and then some grounds for physical activities), but figuratively. A little over 24 hours and she's already doubting the reason why she is where she is.  
  
Her roommates are two younger girls who are also both taller than her. One of them is a baby-faced girl named Jinri who, for all intents and purposes seem like a sweet girl, except for some reason, Sunyoung always feels like she's being judged when Jinri looks at her. The other one is called Soojung, except all her things are marked "Krystal." Apparently this is because she spent more than half of her life in the United States, and that's still what her parents choose to call her. Sunyoung hasn't really seen her crack a smile yet— okay, maybe once, but it hadn't really been directed at her, so Sunyoung refuses to count it.  
  
"Are you going to dinner?" Sunyoung asks her roommates, who are already halfway out the door.  
  
Soojung nods at her. Sunyoung catches a brief exchange of looks between her and Jinri, before the latter beams at her and asks, "Do you want to go with us?"  
  
Sunyoung forces a big smile on her faces and answers, "Yes!"  
  
She has to work at it so that her statement is an exclamation, and not questioning, and in her mind she crosses her fingers so that neither of the two other girls notices it. When the three of them walk towards the mess hall though, Sunyoung can't help but tail just a few steps behind them anyway.  
  
  
Jiyeon's brother, Hyojun, is older than them by just one year, and very affectionate towards his sister, but he never let them forget the age difference, and he always acted like he was way older than all three of them, especially after he graduated elementary, and moved on to a junior high school. Sunyoung remembers, growing up, he would sometimes refer to them as the Powerpuff Girls.  
  
"Sunyoungie is Blossom, and Jieunnie is Bubbles," he would tell them every now and then when Jieun and Sunyoung are over, and he's feeling particularly bored.  
  
"Isn't Blossom the leader?" Jiyeon once asked. "Why does Sunyoung get to be the leader?"  
  
Jieun had giggled, Sunyoung's ears had perked up, and Hyojun had snorted.  
  
"Because she's the most responsible, obviously," he'd answered. "And the most capable. You two would be lost without her."  
  
Sunyoung had beamed at that, and Jieun had patted her encouragingly on the back. Jiyeon had squinted, like she was thinking about it.  
  
"Well Jieun and I are pretty capable too," she had insisted. "But okay," she eventually agreed, nodding. "That's true enough about being lost without her."  
  
"Also," her brother added, grinning. "Our Jiyeon gets to be Buttercup, always wanting to solve everything with violence."  
  
Jiyeon had frowned at him, smacked his arm, stuck her tongue out at him and kicked his shin.  
  
Hyojun had laughed, rubbing the spot on his arm Jiyeon had hit. "See, you just proved my point!"  
  
He had tried to make a quick exit before Jiyeon could get to him, but Jiyeon had just ran after him. Sunyoung had stayed in the living room with Jieun who kept smiling at her proudly.  
  
"I think he likes you," Jieun had told her.  
  
Sunyoung had laughed, embarrassed, and shaking her head.  
  
"Everybody likes Sunyoung," Jiyeon had suddenly piped up, making a return to the room and squeezing in the sofa next to the two of them. " _Everybody_."  
  
Sunyoung sighs to herself, because now here she is, the one who's lost without her best friends. And then she giggles, just a little, because how can she not, remembering Jiyeon's face as her brother teases her, and Jieun just laughing on the sofa.  
  
"I was going to ask you what's wrong," a voice from reality suddenly tells her. "But then you started laughing to yourself."  
  
Sunyoung immediately snaps out of her own world, blushing with embarrassment.  
  
"Sorry," she mumbles, gathering her tray with food on it (and she was so deep inside her thoughts that she didn't even realise she'd already fallen in line for food), and trying to quickly walk away.  
  
"It's okay—" she hears him say, and he sounds so cheerful that Sunyoung almost wants to look back and smile at him, but instead she just cuts him off by nodding her head curtly.  
  
She eats dinner with her roommates and  _their_  friends. She flashes a big smile when they're introduced, and she tries to enthusiastically participate in all the conversations being held, but a strange and funny feeling remains settle in her gut, and she has no idea how to fix it.  
  
  
  


> **To:**  <02zieun@nate.com>, <superpjy123@nate.com>  
>  **From:**  <parksseon0812@nate.com>  
>  **Cc:**  -  
>  **Subject:**  HOW'S LIFE?
> 
> I miss you. Someone remind me how to make friends again, please?
> 
>  
> 
>  **To:**  <parksseon0812@nate.com>  
>  **From:**  <superpjy123@nate.com>  
>  **Cc:**  <02zieun@nate.com>  
>  **Subject:**  Re: HOW'S LIFE?
> 
> That's silly— you're the friendliest person I know! ^_^

  
  
  
Sunyoung remembers around the end of their first year of high school, when she and Jiyeon overheard some classmates talking about her in the girls' room. It sounds so cliche, like something that would only happen on a television show, or a movie, but it actually happened to Sunyoung, and she will never forget it.  
  
"Sunyoung tries too hard," is what had been said. Sunyoung had been inside a cubicle when she had heard it, and she had slowly felt her energy deflate when she did. "Her smile looks too forced don't you think?"  
  
There had been light laughter, and then someone agreeing, "She just looks so eager sometimes that you can't help but make fun of her."  
  
And then Sunyoung had heard the cubicle next to her being unlocked, and then Jiyeon going, "GET OUT. YOU KNOW NOTHING." She waits until she heard feet scurrying away, and then Sunyoung finally stepped out of her own cubicle. She had forced a laugh afterwards, which really wasn't that hard considering she can't believe the kind of situation it was, and Jiyeon had snarled, looking very pissed off, with her hands still clenched.  
  
"I'm going to get those idiots," Jiyeon had muttered. "Why aren't you angrier than me?!"  
  
Sunyoung just laughed more, and she'd taken Jiyeon's hands and squeezed them, and she told her. "Never mind them, Jiyeon, they're not worth our time."  
  
And Sunyoung had forced herself not to think about it, but she realises now that it had just added on to her pile of growing insecurities. And now she can't help but think back to that day whenever her roommates grow silent when she enters the room, or whenever they freeze up when she volunteers her company.  
  
A voice inside her head (usually sounding suspiciously like Jiyeon) keeps telling her she's being paranoid, and that the reason why she came here in the first place is to find herself, and make new friends, but Sunyoung finds herself closing up more and more. Most of the time, she tries to keep a smile plastered on her face, but the truth is, she's just going through every day motions.  
  
It's also Jiyeon's voice that Sunyoung hears in her head when she finally sucks it up, and takes a deep breath before approaching the strange boy that she has frequently seen around, always smiling at her. She figures if there is ever a time to face up to her insecurities, and actually do what she came here to do, it's probably now, with this boy. He seems harmless enough, and besides, she wants to know how come he's always smiling at her like he has something he has to say. She puts on the best smile she can, and she tries to make it be as genuine as she could when she taps the boy's shoulder.  
  
It's not until he turns around that Sunyoung recognises him— he's that boy from one of the earlier days of camp, the one from the cafeteria line, the one who had called her out on being in her own world. She blushes a little at the memory, which results to him beating her at speaking first.  
  
"Sunyoung, right?" he asks, beaming.  
  
"You know my name?" Sunyoung is visibly surprised.  
  
He laughs. "I've seen you around. My name is Lee Jinki, by the way."  
  
"A-ah," Sunyoung smiles, a little sheepish, but a hundred percent genuine. "Nice to meet you Jinki-sshi."  
  
Jinki rubs the back of his neck, and shifts his weight, almost a little awkwardly. "No need to be formal," he says, still smiling. "Um. Did you need anything though?"  
  
Sunyoung shakes her head. She can't really remember what she was supposed to say to him now, so she just stands there, smiling up at him, and he awkwardly does the same for about a minute or so. She's about to just excuse herself, get away, and call the attempt at making a new friend a failure when once again, he beats her to speaking first.  
  
"Are you busy?"  
  
Sunyoung shakes his head.  
  
"Wanna play a game? With, um, the guys." Jinki ducks his head, like he feels embarrassed about saying  _the guys_ , and for some reason this endears him to Sunyoung.  
  
She almost exclaims "Yes!" but she holds back a little, because she doesn't really want to seem too earnest or over-eager or trying too hard, but she smiles, and nods her head.  
  
  
  
Finally, Sunyoung starts feeling like she's settling in.  
  
She still feels out of place among her roommates, but Jinki introduces her to his friends, who, surprisingly, make Sunyoung feel more welcome than the other girls he's met so far. Well, okay, sometimes Kibum makes her feel a little judged, but somehow it's so much easier to look past that when they're all letting her in, and allowing her to play even physical games with them, as if she's just simply one of the guys.  
  
She finds out that Jinki is a surprisingly awkward person— surprising in the sense that she had initially found him so sure of himself when they first met. He'd seemed so forward then, but the more they spend time together, the more she notices his little quirks, and the random bouts of uneasiness, and this just endears him to her because she feels that she can somehow relate. She thinks that Jinki is also the nicest guy she has ever met, and she thinks he's funny, even though his jokes sometimes consists of really bad and really awkward puns.  
  
But best of all, Sunyoung finds that he's very easy to talk to, because once she opens her mouth, he is always all ears, always giving her his full attention.  
  
"I think it's in your head," Jinki tells her once. "I mean that your roommates don't like you. Because everyone likes you, Sunyoung."  
  
Those were the same words Jiyeon had once said about her, and their voices overlap in Sunyoung's head. It makes her smile a little.  
  
"Really?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"I mean, uh," Jinki turns a light shade of pink. "Um, I mean all the guys enjoy your company. They think you're fun to hang out with. They like how enthusiastic you are, and how you never play the girl card, you just do what's needed to do."  
  
Sunyoung smiles. "Thank you, that's really nice of you to say."  
  
Jinki shrugs. "I don't lie. Well,  _most of the time_."  
  
Sunyoung laughs, and punches him on the arm lightly. He just grins at her.  
  
  
  
Sunyoung gets The Pants right before her last week at camp starts. She laughs a little because she remembers how excited they all were about them at first, but here she is, having almost forgotten that she was due to have them next.   
  
She wouldn't even have realised they took a while with Jiyeon if it hadn't been pointed out in her friend's letter. And she was really more concerned about her friend than The Pants. She had called Jiyeon the moment she had read the e-mail about her parents, but Jiyeon had insisted she was feeling great.  
  
"Nice pants," a voice suddenly says, interrupting her thoughts, and when Sunyoung turns around, she finds that it's Jinri, with Soojung right behind her.   
  
"Thank you," Sunyoung says politely, and with a cheerful smile.  
  
The three of them exchange awkward looks.  
  
"You haven't been eating dinner with us lately," Jinri points out.  
  
Sunyoung still does most of the required activity with them, but otherwise, during breaks, and during meals, she's off with guys.  
  
"There have been rumors about you," Jinri says with a frown.  
  
"What about?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"About how you're being a..." Jinri trails off, like she doesn't want to say the exact words.  
  
"A slut," Soojung is way more blunt.  
  
"Because you're always with the guys, and all the other girls are saying you're monopolizing them, and how you must be this big flirt, especially because you're so unfriendly with all the girls."  
  
Sunyoung bursts out laughing, and suddenly, she realises she doesn't really care that much anymore what other people are thinking.   
  
"That's stupid," she says. "And I was never unfriendly. And how is that being a...  _slut_?"  
  
Jinri and Soojung exchange a look.  
  
"That's what we said," Jinri says. "We told them you look like you're really just having a good time with the boys."  
  
"Like you're one of the guys or something," Soojung shrugs.  
  
Sunyoung would be lying if she didn't say she was surprised at her roommates for sticking up for her. But she'd also be lying if she said she didn't feel touched about it.  
  
"Thank you," she tells them.  
  
Jinri smiles at her. "Although unnie, being one of the guys isn't always a good thing," she says. "By doing so, isn't that all they're going to end up seeing you as? I don't like it when that happens."  
  
A surprised, yet pleased smile paints Sunyoung's face. "I'm not really thinking about that though."  
  
"Besides," Soojung smirks, butting in the conversation. "We've all seen how Jinki-oppa looks at her."  
  
"Oh,  _right_." Jinri's grin is smug, and teasing.  
  
Sunyoung feels all her blood rush to her face. "What are you talking about? We're friends!"  
  
Soojung snorts. "Okay," she says, but she doesn't sound convinced at all.  
  
It amazes Sunyoung how easy it suddenly is, just talking with Jinri and Soojung. She realises Jinki had been right— a lot of it had been in her mind. She'd been hiding inside her figurative shell for so long, that she forgot to be comfortable outside it.  
  
They actually stay up that night, just talking, the three of them. Sunyoung realises that Jinri and Soojung  _do_  have some snobbish tendencies, and there are times when they would noticeably blank out when Sunyoung starts rambling, but she also realises that they always mean well. She also finds out they have their own insecurities ("I'm already towering over half the boys in my entire grade," Jinri whines. "It's so uncomfortable. People tell me my face don't match my body, and what am I supposed to say about that?"), and family issues ("Oh I know a lot about sister envy," Soojung says with a laugh. "I love mine, but sometimes she's so effortlessly in the spotlight. Don't even get me started on how all the boys fawn over her."), but that they're dealing with them in their own ways, just like she is.  
  
  
  
"As corny as it sounds, I went here to find myself," Sunyoung admits one night to Jinki after dinner. "I mean, I've told you about my family right? About my overachieving sister. And about my friends, who are so wonderful—"  
  
"Yeah, you could barely stop talking about them all summer," Jinki interjects.  
  
"Well, I really love them. And I really miss them," Sunyoung says. "It's just really hard being in their shadows all the time, even though they never mean to put me there."  
  
"But aren't  _you_  the class representative?" Jinki asks.  
  
"And look who's still better loved," Sunyoung points out.  
  
Jinki laughs, but his smile isn't mocking. "I kind of understand," he says.  
  
"Yeah?" Sunyoung cocks her neck, and stares at him, trying to figure out if he really means what he's saying. "When I saw this place on the internet, I thought it was perfect."  
  
"But there's barely anything on the website!" Jinki points out.  
  
It's Sunyoung who laughs now. "Exactly!" she exclaims. "I thought it seemed so undefined, just a little community for people my age."  
  
Jinki gives her a certain kind of look and Sunyoung blushes.  
  
"I-I mean," she almost stutters. "I mean, isn't that what this place is? I know we do all the bible readings, and the prayer circles regularly, but we play sports too, and we have a singing group, and we're encouraged to be and do anything we want— I guess what I'm saying is, I really enjoyed my summer here."  
  
"You sound like a spokesperson," Jinki teases.  
  
Sunyoung turns even redder than she was before.  
  
"But you know," Jinki starts, and then he looks away, somewhat embarrassed. "I don't think it's true that your friends, or your sister, are better loved than you."  
  
"Sunyoung smiles at that. "I think I've always known that, I just needed to really believe it."  
  
"Do you now?" Jinki asks.  
  
Sunyoung nods. "I think so."  
  
Jinki grins. "That's good, time and money well spent then."  
  
"I can't believe it's time to go home in a few days," Sunyoung murmurs.  
  
"Mhm," Jinki says, nodding in agreement.  
  
There is a sudden, awkward silence between them, and Sunyoung feels her hands getting sweaty. She wipes them nervously on the lap of The Pants, which she had been wearing all day. She quickly makes a rundown of the rules they had made up for The Pants, wondering if anyone had said anything about sweaty palms.  
  
And then she remembers that she is wearing  _The_  Pants, which, as Jiyeon had insisted a hundred times at the beginning of the summer, are magical. Not to mention that all three of them have promised to always try to have adventures in them (rule #2, hers), and always try to be themselves when in it (#10, Jieun's). She feels the denim under her hands as she turns to look at Jinki and she wonders if what she's about to do can count as a combination of the two rules.  
  
"Sunyoungie, I really like you." But then of course, true to their personal tradition, Jinki beats her to it.  
  
She wonders how dark a shade of red her face is currently. "O-oppa," she stammers.  
  
She couldn't look directly at Jinki, but from her peripheral vision she can see that he's looking away as well, and that he's at least a little pink as well.  
  
"Thank you," she says finally.   
  
"Y-you're really great Sunyoung," Jinki tells her. "You're genuinely eager, and I like listening to you talk. And the way you sometimes smile to yourself when you're remember something is really cute. And you're a really, really good person, and you should know that."  
  
_It's practically word vomit_ , Sunyoung thinks. It's a new feeling for her, someone praising her like this— and in such an honest and earnest way too.  
  
"You're the best person I've met this summer," Sunyoung tells him, trying to suppress the smile that was tugging on her lips. "Thank you."  
  
Jinki nods quietly, and just looking at him do that makes Sunyoung blush even harder.  
  
"It's not as if we're going to lose contact after this summer," Sunyoung says softly.  
  
Jinki nods again, smiling shyly. Sunyoung slowly reaches for his hand, but when she finally takes it, she holds it tightly. They stay like that for a while, until someone tells them that break is over and it's almost time for lights out.  
  
  
  
Seven is the usual call time during mornings, but as early as six the next day, Sunyoung hears her phone making noises. She reaches for it so she can turn the alarm off, but then she realises it's actually someone calling.  
  
"Hello?" she answers sleepily, rubbing her eyes.   
  
"Sunyoungie?" The voice is familiar, but Sunyoung couldn't really place it in her current condition.  
  
"Who's this?"  
  
"I woke you up didn't I? Sorry," the voice says. "It's Jieun."  
  
"Oh, Jieunnie, what's going on?"  
  
"I'm outside," Jieun says. "By the entrance."  
  
"Outside where?" Sunyoung asks, confused. It's too early and her brain hasn't properly regained function yet.  
  
"I'm  _here_ ," Jieun says.  
  
"Here?" Sunyoung repeats. She's slowly starting to understand. "Here  _here_?"  
  
"Yes," Jieun answers.  
  
"Oh. Wait,  _what_? What are you doing here?" Sunyoung asks, a little more awake.  
  
"Will you be able to come out and meet me?" Jieun asks.  
  
Sunyoung blinks. "Okay, but you're going to have to explain how you made it here."  
  
"Of course," Jieun says.  
  
They hang up, and Sunyoung grabs the nearest item of non pajama clothing she can grab and puts them on, and stealthily sneaks out. She spots Jieun immediately, looking alone and tiny, at least until she spots Sunyoung as well.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sunyoung asks. "Why are you here so early?"  
  
"I took the first bus I can," Jieun explains.  
  
"But you're not even supposed to go home until four? Five days from now," Sunyoung points out.  
  
"I'm worried about Jiyeon," Jieun says, her face contorting with sudden anxiety. "After that e-mail, I mean."  
  
Sunyoung nods. "I understand. Maybe... maybe I can ditch this entire thing and just come home too."  
  
Jieun shakes her head vigorously. "No no no," she protests. "Also, I... I think I need to talk to Jiyeon alone."  
  
Sunyoung gives her a questioning look. "About...?"  
  
Jieun nods slightly. "I've been thinking about it. Actually I've been thinking about it too much probably, and I think I have to do this because I'm starting to worry about my own sanity."  
  
"Oh Jieunnie," Sunyoung sighs, cupping her friend's face with her hands.  
  
Jieun lets out a sigh of her own. "Ever since I told you, I've been feeling like I couldn't keep it in anymore, especially not from Jiyeon."  
  
Sunyoung nods.  
  
"I can get over this," Jieun insists. "But not if I'm going to have to keep it in while remaining her friend."  
  
"I understand," Sunyoung says. "But..."  
  
_But it's risky._   _But the chances are higher that Jiyeon will react negatively._  
  
"I know," Jieun nods. "There's a lot of reasons I shouldn't, but the feeling that I should do it is stronger."  
  
Sunyoung sighs. "Well this is your decision."  
  
"You know, to be honest, I told you I've been thinking a lot recently right?"  
  
Sunyoung nods.  
  
"And I've been compartmentalizing," Jieun continues. "That's something only Jiyeon has been really good at among the three of us, but I'm starting to get it. I really love Jiyeon, but a huge part of that is because she's my best friend."  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "Are you in love with me too?" She teases.  
  
Jieun slaps her arm lightly. "No!"  
  
"I'm hurt, Jieunnie," Sunyoung teases.  
  
Jieun laughs. "I mean I think I might have confused and mixed the two kinds of feelings."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with falling in love with a friend," Sunyoung says.  
  
"I know," Jieun nods. "But it's going to be easier to get over it, if I know how to place the distinction. I know that Jiyeon is more important to me as a friend, and always will be."   
  
"How about that other girl?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"Oh. Suzy?" Jieun's face lights up just a little bit more than before, Sunyoung notices.  
  
"Yeah," Sunyoung nods.  
  
"She's great, I really like her," Jieun says. "I kept thinking she reminded me of Jiyeon, but I think that was my brain connecting that I had these certain kinds of feelings for the two of them. Suzy has a lot of her own merits, and she's really lovely, Sunyoungie."  
  
"You're almost gushing," Sunyoung laughs.   
  
Jieun blushes. "It's even more hopeless though, and I've accepted that. I'm just starting to realise that this is how I feel, um, about, well,  _girls_. I barely understand them myself, I'm not in a rush for anything more than that. A part of that understanding is coming out to Jiyeon, and just that is going to be hard, because I'm really scared at what she will say. If I do this, will I be forcing my feelings on her? I don't want to do that, but I can't  _not_  do anything either."  
  
Jieun is the most eloquent she's been ever since Sunyoung had met her, and Sunyoung feels like her heart can explode at what she's saying. She strokes her friend's cheek affectionately with her thumb.  
  
"Chin up Jieunnie," she says encouragingly. "You can do this. And then I'll be home in two days, and nothing will have changed, because you and Jiyeon are best friends. You are  _my_  best friends, and we're growing up, and getting to know ourselves, but that is definitely something that will stay constant."  
  
"I was counting on you to say the perfect words," Jieun laughs.  
  
Sunyoung chooses that as her cue to envelope Jieun in a tight hug.  
  
"Oh but also," Jieun murmurs into her ear, "I was wondering if I can borrow The Pants? I feel like I'm going to need it's magic to deal with this."  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "Of course you can, but I'm kind of wearing them right now."  
  
Jieun looks down and laughs. "Well we can change clothes?"  
  
Sunyoung stares at the capris that Jieun is wearing, and she can already tell that they were going to be a tight fit on her, especially around the thighs. She sighs, and nods anyway.   
  
"Of course."  
  
  
"Are they really magic?" Jieun asks Sunyoung after they switch, and just before they say their goodbyes.  
  
"You know, they just might be," Sunyoung grins.  
  
"I'll see you in a few days," Jieun says, smiling widely.  
  
"Take care, Jieunnie!"  
  
  
-  
  
  
It's almost lunchtime when Jieun shows up at Jiyeon's family's apartment. It's Jiyeon herself who answers the intercom, and lets her up. Jieun feels her heart thumping so hard the moment Jiyeon opens the door for her and pounces on her to give her a hug.  
  
"Oh my God!" Jiyeon cries out. "You're home so early!"  
  
Jieun just smiles as she half-heartedly returns the hug. She feels so nervous.  
  
Jiyeon looks down when they pull away. "Aren't those supposed to be with Sunyoung?" She asks, referring to The Pants.  
  
"Well, uh," Jieun starts to say.  
  
"And then she was supposed to mail them back to me when she was done!" Jiyeon says, lips curving downwards.  
  
"It's a long story," Jieun says. "I'll tell you all about it inside."  
  
When Jiyeon grabs her hand and pulls her inside to her room, Jieun starts second-guessing her reasons for even being there.  
  
"Okay first of all, how are you doing?" Jieun asks as soon as they're settled comfortably in Jiyeon's bedroom. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I am," Jiyeon says with a smile.  
  
"Don't lie," Jieun says, frowning.  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "I really am. I mean, I wasn't before, and the situation still sucks, but I'm alright now. I'm going to be a grown-up about this entire situation."  
  
"Jiyeonnie, we're still kids though," Jieun points out.  
  
"I know," Jiyeon says with a bittersweet smile. "But that doesn't mean I have to be immature about it."  
  
Jieun stares at her friend, half in awe at the amount of growth Jiyeon has acquired in just the few weeks they were apart. She realises Sunyoung kind of had the same feel about her earlier when  _they_  had been together. She runs her hands through her side, feeling the cloth of The Pants, and she wonders if they have anything to do with it.  
  
"Are you going to move in with your mother?" Jieun asks.  
  
"We haven't decided anything yet, but the apartment she's going to be moving to isn't really that far anyway," Jiyeon says. "But it's a discussion that has yet to happen."  
  
"Are you really, absolutely alright?" Jieun asks again.  
  
" _Yes_ , " Jieun stresses. "Okay, maybe not a hundred percent okay, because who would be, but I'm doing good."  
  
"Okay then," Jieun finally accepts it.  
  
"So, anyway, what are you doing back so early?" Jiyeon asks. "I'm really happy, don't get me wrong, but did something happen?"  
  
"Well," Jieun swallows nervously. "Sort of."  
  
"Sort of?" Jiyeon looks concerned.  
  
"Oh don't worry, nothing bad," Jieun assures her. "Just, there were some things that I sorted out recently."  
  
Her heart is thumping really, really,  _really_  loudly and Jieun wonders if Jiyeon can hear.  
  
"What are they?" Jiyeon asks.  
  
"They're about myself," Jieun begins.   
  
Jiyeon nods, a sign for Jieun to continue.  
  
"I think I'm gay."  
  
It somehow gets easier the more she admits it, but still, she feels heavy inside because Jiyeon is just wide-eyed, staring at her in surprise, and Jieun hasn't even told her the biggest part of the secret yet.  
  
"W-what," Jiyeon stutters. She has never really been a stutterer, which is why it makes Jieun even more nervous. "Are...are you sure?"  
  
Jieun nods. "I think I've sort of known for a while."  
  
"Wow," Jiyeon blinks at her. " _Wow._ "  
  
Jieun starts nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Maybe it really  _is_  a bad idea to say anything more.  
  
Jiyeon looks down, quiet. And then she looks up again, straight at Jiyeon.   
  
"Does Sunyoung know?" She asks.  
  
Jieun nods.  
  
"You're my best friend, I can't turn you out for something like this," Jiyeon says, brows creased. "After all, you're still the same Jieun right?"  
  
"There's more," Jieun says.  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "Well I don't think anything can be more surprising than that."  
  
Jieun takes a deep breath.   
  
"There's a girl," she explains. "And I've been feeling kind of funny around her for a long while now."  
  
"Is it someone we know?" Jiyeon asks.  
  
Jieun pauses, and balls up her fists.   
  
"It's you."  
  
Jiyeon blinks rapidly as she takes one step back. She looks uncomfortably surprised.   
  
"I'm not expecting anything from you," Jieun says. "You're my best friend, and it needed to be said."  
  
Jiyeon doesn't answer, in fact she doesn't say a single word for the next ten minutes— Jieun had been staring at the alarm clock on Jiyeon's bedside table.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jiyeon finally says. "I really can't deal with this right now."  
  
Jieun feels heartbroken, and she's fighting back tears as soon as she steps out of Jiyeon's room, but strangely enough she also feels a little lighter.  
  
  
  


> **To:**  parkseonpyeong~♥  
>  **Fr:**  leejieun  
>  **Msg:**  .
> 
>  **To:**  Jieunnie~♥  
>  **Fr:**  Sunyoung  
>  **Msg:**  it will be ok, dw.

  
  
  
It bothers Jiyeon for the rest of the day, and she wants to be angry at Jieun for springing this on her, so suddenly, and just when she's starting to feel better. But she can't because it's  _Jieun_ , her best friend, and besides, she had asked hadn't she?  
  
Jiyeon sleeps on it, or at least she  _tries_  to. She's up as soon as the sun rises though, making breakfast for her family because she couldn't sit still. She even does the dishes once everyone is done eating, and it earns her weird looks from them. She doesn't care though, because as soon as she wipes the last plate dry, she takes a quick shower, and then she's out of the door.  
  
Twenty minutes later, she's face to face with Jieun once again.  
  
"What does it mean?" Jiyeon asks. "I... I can't return the feelings, Jieun."  
  
"You don't have to," Jieun says.  
  
"But I can't not be friends with you," Jiyeon says, and she's practically shaking at the mere thought of that happening. "But... but I don't want to force my friendship if it's going to make you uncomfortable."  
  
Jieun smiles a little. "I can't not be friends with you either, Jiyeon."  
  
"But won't it be awkward for you? I mean— Agh!" Jiyeon grabs her own cheeks in frustration. "Was that a very self-involved thing to say? I'm so sorry."  
  
Jieun is starting to laugh. "I love you, Jiyeon," she says matter-of-factly.  
  
Jiyeon blinks, her expression more than a little panicked, which makes Jieun crack up.  
  
"I mean as a friend," Jieun explains. "Believe it or not, in  _that_  way I can get over you, but never as a friend."  
  
Jiyeon stands there, just looking at her.  
  
"You know how you said yesterday that you're doing okay? Not a hundred percent, but okay. I'm the same so don't worry too much," Jieun insists.  
  
But Jiyeon just continues to look at her, unsure.  
  
"I love you too, Jieun," she says finally. "I'm really sorry."  
  
"Don't be," Jieun says, taking both of Jiyeon's hands and squeezing them. "I'm just glad that I finally came out with a secret that I've been keeping for so long, even from myself."  
  
Jiyeon drops both of Jieun's hands abruptly, and then quickly pulls the latter in for a tight hug.  
  
"Sunyoung and I will always be here for you," Jiyeon whispers.  
  
"So will I," Jieun answers.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
"I can't believe it's time to go back to school," Jieun says.  
  
The three of them are in her room again, Sunyoung seated at the swivel chair as usual, Jieun and Jiyeon on the bed, The Pants laid out in between them.  
  
"Well we have around a week more?" Sunyoung volunteers. She sighs. "And then it's school work from dusk 'til dawn again. Are you going to finally enrol in cram school with me and Jieun this year?"  
  
She turns to Jiyeon when she says that, but Jiyeon just smiles mischievously.  
  
"Well, never mind that," Jiyeon says. "I can't believe Sunyoung got herself a boyfriend over the summer!"  
  
Sunyoung cries out, lunging out of her chair, and tackling Jiyeon. "He's not my boyfriend!"  
  
Jieun is giggling. "He could be," she points out.  
  
"See, even Jieun is saying it!" Jiyeon is laughing.  
  
Sunyoung pokes at both of Jiyeon's sides causing the other to shriek. Jiyeon reaches out, grabbing Jieun and pulling her down towards her and Sunyoung and their tackle pile.  
  
"That's because I've seen some of the texts he sends Sunyoung," Jieun says, her voice muffled by the weight of Jiyeon who had somehow managed to come out on top of both of them.  
  
And then Jieun herself lets out a shriek when it's  _her_  sides that Sunyoung pokes. The three of them end up in a tickle fight, with Jiyeon trying to pull some wrestling moves she's probably only really seen on television. In the end all three of them collapse side by side by on the bed, trying to catch their breaths, squished together so no one falls of the edges.  
  
"So what do we do with The Pants now?" Sunyoung asks.  
  
"Save them for next summer, of course!" Jiyeon says. "I honestly believe they helped grow us a lot this summer."  
  
"Don't you think you're giving a pair of jeans too much credit?" Sunyoung teases.  
  
"Hush! Blasphemy!" Jiyeon exclaims, laughing.  
  
"I just hope there's not as much drama next year," Jieun muses.  
  
"Yeah, next year we should definitely have real adventures instead," Jiyeon declares.  
  
Sunyoung laughs. "What are 'real' adventures then?"  
  
"Maybe we can climb a mountain," Jiyeon suggests.  
  
"My closet will take good care of The Pants, don't worry," Jieun assures them.  
  
"This summer was kind of eventful though wasn't it?" Sunyoung says.  
  
"Mhm," Jiyeon answers. "And I really missed the two of you."  
  
"To be honest," Jieun's voice shrinks a little, "I think we also needed that time apart."  
  
There is a brief quiet, but then Jiyeon pipes up. "I actually kind of agree."  
  
Sunyoung nods. "I love you," she tells them suddenly.  
  
Jiyeon laughs. "Someone is being sentimental!" she teases, which earns her an elbow jab from Jieun. "But I love you too."  
  
"Always," Jieun says. "No matter what."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
//

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ao3 kinda f'd up my formatting; this is better read [here](https://firequakes.dreamwidth.org/318447.html), tbh )


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